Forgotten
by Shadelyn
Summary: Thanks to a little prank, a now amnesiac Malkavian awakes to discover she's not only a vampire, but married to a werewolf. She goes on the run, and her husband must pursue her across the country.
1. Prologue

Note: This story is based on the World of Darkness games, owned by White Wolf – I don't own them, blah blah blah, and all that good stuff.

I adore comments/reviews! Even if it's just to let me know that someone is actually reading this stuff. :)

This prologue might be a little dull, but I promise it gets better. I've included it (from another story) because it explains a few things, but can probably be skipped.

--

PROLOGUE

It was very late on a Saturday night, or more accurately, very early on a Sunday morning when I arrived home to the small, two bedroom apartment I shared with my sister, Verena. She wasn't home yet, which irritated me just a bit. For once, I had thought she'd have beaten me home. Not that it was a competition, but it might have been nice, if for once, I was the one who'd stayed out too late and been the 'irresponsible' one. Sometimes it got old being the 'good' sister.

The new group of friends I'd been spending so much time with lately had a habit of keeping strange hours, and my own hours had quickly been evolving towards the same. Fortunately I didn't work, or these late nights might have hindered me. I was a full-time college student, but classes were out for the summer. My parents were kind enough to foot the bills for me while I was in school. My sister, irresponsible as she was, did work. Once she'd been handed her high school diploma, she'd put her foot down and refused to further her education. If we weren't twins, and identical at that, I might have been unlikely to believe we were related at all.

I considered waiting up for my sister, but it was impossible to guess when she might be home. Besides, I hadn't told her about the people I'd been spending so much of my time with lately. It wasn't like either of us to keep things from each other. We might not have anything but our faces in common, but we were very close. Close enough that it hurt to keep secrets. But it was in her best interest for me to keep this one. These new friends were dangerous. They were fascinating, a little frightening, most certainly deadly, and they were mine. I probably should have found them just a bit more frightening than I did. I was too in love with them to consider the danger I was in. I was too in love with being in danger.

My new friends were vampires. I wasn't supposed to know that, and they were not at all pleased when I'd figured it out. I had been seeing them on and off for weeks, in the beginning it was usually at parties. I wasn't big on parties, being shy and socially awkward, but I went, trying to make an effort at having a social life. My sister's fault really, as she was the outgoing one. I usually felt left out. So I went to parties, though I hated them. But after meeting these people, I wanted to go. If going to a party meant I might see them again, I'd go. After a while, they started inviting me to more private affairs.

It was extremely flattering, having these people pay so much attention to me. I wasn't the only one, they seemed to recruiting people, and I did suffer some jealousy over that, but when they were speaking to me, I may as well have been the only one. They asked a lot of questions, as though I was as fascinating to them as they were to me. They weren't always easy questions; sometimes I couldn't understand why they would ask the things they asked, but I was eager to please them, and I always did my best to answer them the best I could.

Only a few nights had passed since it had all clicked in my head and I'd blurted out, "You're vampires!" I had been so pleased with myself. It may not have been through a rational thought process which led me to my conclusion, but it made sense to me. I didn't believe in vampires, but all the same, here they were, undeniable proof.

My epiphany did not please them. The looks on their faces only confirmed my accusation as true, and frankly, frightened me far more than the realization did that such things as vampires could exist. I had expected them to be more impressed with how clever I was, to have figured their secret out. Perhaps they were, but their anger was greater. In the end, they hadn't abandoned me – or murdered me, something they had considered and discussed openly in front of me. I had been warned, and I would keep my mouth shut. My fate was yet undecided.

So you see, I couldn't tell my sister. I wouldn't put her life in danger just for the sake of sharing a secret. Maybe things would have gone differently for me if I hadn't beaten her home that night. Perhaps it would be her telling this story instead. Did these glorious friends of mine even know about her? I had never spoke of her. I wouldn't have risked losing them to someone else, not even to her.

And so, though it wouldn't have mattered, I decided not to wait up for my sister that night. I shut off the lights and headed to bed. I was headed towards my bedroom when it happened. Suddenly a strong pair of arms were around me, pinning my arms to my side. The body pressing against me was definitely male, and when he chuckled darkly in my ear, the deep sound only helped to confirm this. Stunned momentarily, I finally thought to scream, but I'd barely begun to open my mouth when my attacker slapped a hand over my mouth, keeping me securely restrained with his other arm.

Something like an electric shock worked its way up my spine. I knew I was about to die, one way or the other. I'd known this was coming. I just hadn't known _when_. The normal thoughts one might have in this situation, of intruders, rape, robbery... were furthest from my mind. He was a vampire. I already knew I had forfeited my life.

I tried to turn my head, to get a look at the man holding me. But it was dark, and he clearly didn't want to be seen. But why? What did it matter? If he were going to kill me, _really_ kill me, why did it matter if I saw him? And if not... I'd already seen their faces.

I thought of my sister, knowing I'd probably never see her again. I knew I'd gone a little mad, shaking in my killer's arms, not with fear, but laughter. Who was the irresponsible one now? Verena had never managed to get into _this_ much trouble.

A sharp pain at my throat, and messy, loud slurping. It hurt. He wasn't being gentle. The man gnawed at my throat, working his teeth into my flesh. My screams were muffled, and I was screaming then, quietly, beneath his hand. I was having trouble breathing, as his fingers covered my nose, and there was little oxygen getting through. He pulled his teeth from me and licked my throat. The sudden absence of pain was wonderful, even if he was laughing again. I struggled and bucked against him, though I knew there was little point in doing so. My squirming only seemed to please him. He nibbled at my ear, as though we were lovers, and kissed my temple, then ran his tongue across my throat again. He licked me, running his tongue from beneath my chin to my ear. He clearly thought this was funny, and his laughter was turning crueler, and no longer resembled something human. He struck again, as viciously as before, but drinking much deeper this time, my blood being drawn from my body quickly and very, very painfully. I tried to give in to him, to not struggle against him, but my God it hurt. He was only adding to the pain, making it so much worse than it needed to be, gnawing and working his teeth.

It seemed to go on forever, though it probably wasn't more than a few minutes. The pain was easing, becoming merely a hot burning sensation. I was having trouble thinking clearly, my thoughts kept going off into nonsensical directions. As quickly as I could focus my thoughts into the right direction, they were off again. And I was getting weak. Or maybe I was already past that part, because I suddenly realized I wasn't standing anymore, but was kneeling on the floor, half in the man's lap. Then he was licking and nuzzling at my throat again. I hadn't even noticed him pull his teeth from my throat. He licked, and sucked at my skin, and dimly I wondered if this was what it would have been like with a boy. But Verena had always been the one with the boyfriends. I had never dated, always having been too shy and unapproachable – too awkward and introverted.

Then man finally took his hand away from my mouth, and I could breath again, though it seemed like so much _effort_ to breathe. I was too far gone to scream anyway, all my energy drained away with my blood. I just rested my head against his chest and waited quietly. Then he was pressing his wrist against my mouth, and blood was flowing over my tongue, choking me. I swallowed automatically, and then willingly. I wanted this, didn't I? Maybe not like this... but I did want it. I was just so damned tired, and it was taking an effort to keep drinking from his wrist and swallowing the blood. But when I stopped making that effort, the blood flowed down my throat anyway, and when I coughed, choking, it was in my nose. I didn't care. He released me completely, and dumped me the rest of the way out of his lap. I wavered there, on the verge of collapsing. There was a loud sound in my ears, and a second later I felt a sting on my cheek. Had he slapped me? I had barely begun to feel the shock of it when my world went dark.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

She raced through the thickly wooded forest, stumbling now and then as her legs began to ache painfully. She knew he wouldn't be far behind her, though she couldn't hear him. He was much faster than her, but he took more care where he stepped, so as not to make a sound. He didn't want her to know where or when he'd catch her.

She ran on, not daring to take a moment to rest. Her lungs burned in her chest. She didn't need to breathe. But she _liked_ to breathe. The effort she expended drawing the air into her lungs and pushing it out again helped to calm her and center her thoughts. Otherwise, those thoughts too often became chaotic and confused.

She stumbled again, this time falling hard enough against a stone to skin her right knee. She could smell the blood before she felt the cool dampness flowing down her leg. However, her body was full of adrenaline and she felt no pain from the wound, only the dull ache in her lungs and the sharp pain in her muscles as she continued to run on. She'd been running for a while, and even vampires could feel fatigue.

A howl broke the relative silence around her and she shuddered. It wasn't fear that caused the goose bumps to erupt over her arms, but anticipation and excitement. He was farther away than she'd expected. Perhaps he'd paused to examine the ground where she'd spilled her blood.

She pushed her legs harder, and the pain in her muscles began to lessen. But as they grew numb, she became clumsier. She stumbled more often, but did not fall again. She knew she was making a terrible amount of noise. However, even had she managed to keep silent in her flight, he'd find her anyway. He knew her scent and would hunt her down. There was never any question as to whether she would escape him, only how long she could evade her capture. He could have caught her by now, could have caught her almost immediately after she'd began to run, but he drew out the game and let her draw away again and again. It wouldn't be long now.

She grabbed hold of a slender tree trunk and skidded to a stop, sliding down to rest against it. Her energy was spent, and she gasped for the air that filled her lungs.

_Crack!_ She slapped a hand over her mouth and stopped her breathing at the sound of the branch snapping. Craning her neck around the tree, she spotted him, some 50 feet away.

He was magnificent. The steel-grey werewolf stood over nine feet tall, and he was all muscle, fur, teeth, and claws. His lips were pulled back from those teeth, and the faint light from the moon glinted off them. They were sharp, but as intimidating as they were, it was his claws that were his greatest weapon. They were long, viciously sharp like slightly curved daggers, and they were lethal. He lowered his head and sniffed the air. Without turning his head, he looked in his quarry's direction and snarled.

A chill ran up her spine and she leaped back to her feet and pushed away from the tree. She only made it a few feet before her legs were swept out from under her, a heavy body slamming into her. The ground tilted up to meet her and she was falling. Strong, hard arms cushioned her as she landed. And then she was on her back, and he was above her, his hot breath blowing in her face.

She tried to push him off of her, to slide herself out from under him, but he was having none of that. He grabbed her wrists and held them securely in his iron grip above her head. He was shifting back to his human form, his claws already gone. He straddled her waist and kept her pinned down.

She bucked once in a final attempt to dislodge him and he growled.

"You win," she said in a sulky voice as she gave in, relaxed her muscles and sighed heavily.

He grinned down at her, but didn't speak. He glanced back over his shoulder and down at her knee. The wound had already healed and was not a concern.

He released her wrists and leaned down, his face a hairsbreadth away from hers.

"I always do," he teased softly, and then pressed his lips against hers in a soft, gentle kiss.

She smiled as she returned the kiss. And then, as he was brushing his lips down along her jawline to her ear, she brought her freed arms up and shoved him away, using the last of her strength. He allowed himself to fall away from her and he chuckled. But before she could get to her feet again, he was standing and lifting her up into his arms. He tossed her over his shoulder and gave her rump a hard smack.

She pounded at his back with her fists in protest, but her assault was half-hearted. She was tired. And so, she relaxed against him and let herself be carried away. She wasn't interested in escaping anyway.

As they moved through the forest back towards civilization, he began to describe in detail what he intended to do with her once they returned home. She listened with interest at first, but soon a soft hum began to form at the base of her skull. She felt its vibrations more than she could hear it as it crept along inside her head and whispered unintelligibly to her.

The lush carpet of the wood began to decay around her and when she looked up into the canopy, the trees seemed to turn sickly, their leaves blackened and shriveled. Looking down again, she saw an impish child staring back at her. The little girl smiled, her eyes dancing with a mischievous light. She lifted her arm and pointed ahead.

She turned her head in the direction the child had pointed, and there, swinging by the neck from a gnarled tree was the child's gaunt and desiccated figure. What was left of its filthy blond hair was plastered against its skull, and it stared out with dead, white eyes. It lifted a bony finger to its lips as if to hush her, then moved its hands to its eyes. It plucked the orbs from its head and they turned to ash, which fluttered downward toward the ground and disappeared before it touched the earth. Its leathery lips turned upwards into a smile and it bared a set of tiny fangs. Lifting one of its wrists to its mouth, it bit into the brittle flesh and fed.

Her husband continued to move through the forest, carrying her away. He was still speaking, undisturbed by his wife's vision. He fell silent when she began to laugh.

She convulsed in his arms, her laughter wracking her body with violent shudders. The child had vanished, along with the death and decay around her.

The man bent forward and set his wife on her feet.

"Alyx?" He sounded alarmed.

She continued to shake with laughter and didn't respond.

"Alyxandra," he cupped her chin in his hand and made her look at him. "Mind sharing?"

She took a deep breath and quieted down.

"I'm not supposed to tell," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with excited expectation, "but something is coming."

He glanced around, confused. "What? Here?"

She giggled, shaking her head, and pushed his hand away. She danced a circle around him, twirling around in delight. She took his hand in hers and tugged him along after her.

"I don't know, Puppy. Let's go home."

He shook his head and smiled, looking after his wife in fond amusement. He took her home.

--

The next evening, Alyxandra was lying sprawled across the couch, her head resting in her husband's lap, uncharacteristically subdued as he idly played with her hair and tapped away at his computer with his free hand. Few would guess that the couple were actually monsters, such as they were – the picture of normalcy.

Alyxandra sat up and pulled herself into her husband's lap, pushing his computer aside. She wrapped her arms around his neck, but pulled her head back and grinned when he tried to kiss her.

"I have to go to the club tonight." She told him.

"Have to? There go my plans," he teased.

"We have plans?" She couldn't recall any.

"Maybe I was going to tie you up and do naughty things to you," he bared his teeth at her playfully and growled.

"Bad Puppy. You got me all dirty last night. Had your fun, and now I'm hungry." Alyxandra giggled and nipped at his chin.

"Hungry, huh?"

She nodded, "I was mauled by a werewolf, you know. Worked up an appetite. Besides... I have to go."

"You should go and see your friends. Have some fun." He gave her a tight squeeze before she slipped off his lap.

Alyxandra nodded seriously and danced across the room to snatch up a ring of keys.

"How about I drive you. You can call me when you're ready to come home," he offered.

She held the keys behind her back and arched an eyebrow at him.

"I don't really want to get a call saying I need to fly across the country to pick you up after you've suddenly decided a road trip sounds like fun." He held his hand out for the keys.

"I wouldn't!" She glared.

"You haven't. You would. Especially now that I've put the idea in your head. Gimme."

She handed over the keys, but the dirty look she aimed at him remained.

"What would Puppy do if I _did_ run off?" She thought aloud, running with the idea.

"First would come the spankings and then the oral..."

Alyxandra smacked him on the back of his shoulder. He laughed the rest of the way to the garage.

--

The drive to the Riverview Club was quiet, mostly due to the return of Alyxandra's unusually quiet mood. A mood that Michael Karrde has not missed, and he darted searching looks in her direction from time to time. She had neither looked in his direction nor spoken a word since they'd gotten into the car. He was always curious about her shifts in mood, especially when they were out of character for her, but he wasn't terribly concerned. After nearly twelve years of being married to the vampire, he was accustomed to her odd behavior. Granted, she was an insane vampire – a fact that forced him to act as parent as often as spouse, but who was he to judge? He wasn't exactly human himself.

"What's wrong, babe?" He asked as he pulled up near the entrance to the club.

She turned to face him, and for the umpteenth time, he was struck by her innocent and youthful facade. He had wondered often if it was natural – he hadn't known her before she was a vampire, or if it was something she did to make herself appear so. It _was_ just a facade though, and one that he knew served her well. When she wished to display herself as such, her childlike aura attracted both predator and protector. Both useful, as predators became prey so easily, and protectors were handy to have around in a pinch. The thirty-something year old vampire would always look like she had when she'd been embraced, as a nineteen year old girl.

He had known her sister, and though they shared the same features, Verena had had a feral quality that Alyxandra lacked. Maybe it was the eyes. They were wide, dark blue jewels that seemed to pulse with life, and contrasted sharply with her pale skin. Long, pale blond hair framed her sweet face. Of course... he'd seen that face turn dark and vicious on occasions. She didn't _always_ look so harmless and vulnerable.

He studied her face as she seemed to consider his question.

"There's something scratching inside my head." She couldn't begin to explain the creeping sensation that had lurked inside her mind since the night before.

"Mice?" Mike asked with a small smile.

Alyxandra rolled her eyes at him, and not for the first time that evening.

"I don't know, Puppy. Something's just _there_. It calls to me and makes me itch all over. I want to play."

"Be careful."

She nodded as the stepped out of the car.

"Call me when you're ready to come home," he reminded her before she pushed the door closed and walked away. He sighed and watched her disappear into the club. The bouncer at the door scowled at him before he drove away. Alyxandra might be more or less welcome here, but his own presence would never be more than uncomfortably tolerated.

--

"Miss Ramsey," the heavily muscled, but squat bouncer nodded at her respectfully as he let her pass into the club. "Quiet night."

Alyxandra glanced at the lengthy line awaiting admittance into the club. Translation – few vampires tonight. The club itself was most certainly not quiet. Despite the modest size of the nightclub and its small-town location of Riverton, it was a popular spot. There was little else to do late at night, and even though it was yet early in the evening, the place was packed.

Being one of the resident monsters in town, she was afforded the VIP treatment of being let in without having to wait in line. She stuck her tongue out at one woman in line, who was giving her an especially nasty look for being allowed through.

As soon as she was inside, the hunger struck. It always did here, especially when the place was busy. All those warm bodies, jostling against each other, alive and full of blood. It was intoxicating, and soon her upper canines were biting into her lower lip. She was careful to conceal them, but could not help playing with them, poking at them with her tongue. She closed her eyes and began to let her body move to the hard thrum of the music as the bodies around her bumped, brushed, and pushed against her.

Usually, she would find a willing meal this way. Inevitably there would come a pair of lips at her ear, a hand on her arm, or... elsewhere, sometimes someone would simply start dancing with her. She was accustomed to choosing her meals this way; by letting them choose her. So it was unexpected when, with her eyes still closed, she felt a pull at the center of her stomach. Her eyes were open instantly, flashing to the source of her sudden discomfort. He was passing by her, not looking at her, nor seeming to notice her at all, and then heading away from her through the crowd. He was completely ordinary. She could see or sense nothing about him that might have caught her interest. She followed him.

He made his way off the dance floor and into the men's room. She considered following him in, but the consequences outweighed the fun, so she waited outside for him to return. While she waited, one twenty-something young man smiled invitingly at her, but she glared at him until he moved off. Mr. Ordinary didn't keep her waiting long. When he came back out of the men's room, she very nearly pounced on him.

"Jack!" She grabbed his arm and beamed up at him, pushing her not-so-generous amounts of bosom into him.

Mr. Ordinary smiled back down at her.

Alyxandra giggled, blinked up at him a few times, then reluctantly released him.

"I'm sorry, you're not Jack." She flashed him her best smile, clearly meant to let him know that she wasn't the least bit sorry at all.

"That usually work for you?" Mr. Ordinary grinned and walked away.

"Usually," she muttered to herself in mild shock. It _did_ usually work. And when it didn't, they were still polite about it. They certainly never brushed her off. She stalked after him, unwilling to give up so easily. He'd as good as volunteered himself as her dinner companion by attracting her attention. It wouldn't do to abandon him for easier game.

He sat down at a table where a slinky little brunette waited for him. Alyxandra curled her lip at the other woman as she approached the table. This one belonged to her, and even though the other woman was just that - not another vampire, she was still competition and needed to be dealt with.

"Leave." Alyxandra's voice was thick with displeasure.

The woman laughed, unsure what to do, and looked at her companion. Mr. Ordinary just smiled and turned to Alyxandra.

"Really, I'm flattered and all, but I'm not interested."

Alyxandra smiled sweetly at him, "That's not what you said last month when you gave me crabs."

He barked out a laugh and grinned back at her.

"Ah hell, why not?" He turned to his brunette companion, "You're still here?"

She was clearly not catching on, a confused mask to the scowl on her face. Mr. Ordinary and Alyxandra stared at her and as the idea that her presence was no longer desired slowly dawned on her, she stood up jerkily. She opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, and walked away. Alyxandra took the newly vacant seat.

"Crabs?" He asked her. "Syphilis would have been more fun."

He took a moment to look her over, appraisingly. She had her chin cupped in her hands as she stared back at him.

"We could go back to my apartment."

Alyxandra's eyes widened. That was awfully fast.

"There are private rooms upstairs," she offered.

"Not private enough, I suspect."

"Upstairs," Alyxandra repeated, putting a little blood behind the command.

"My apartment."

"Okay," she agreed immediately, then bit her lip when she realized that she had. She didn't want to go to his apartment. She wanted to go upstairs, drain a little of his blood, and go the hell back home. If he made this difficult for her, he was going to have to pay for it. She glowered at him, but he was already standing and offering her his arm.

Alyxandra stood, but refused his arm. He shrugged and led her outside. Maybe if he were parked somewhere dark and with enough privacy, she could still salvage this. He led her to a car parked directly beneath a brightly lit streetlight. Worse, a group of college aged club goers were loitering on the sidewalk nearby. They were all drunk, but far too alert for her to do anything.

She groaned and glared at them as she passed by and waited for Mr. Ordinary to open the car door for her. One of them giggled, but male or female, she couldn't tell. It didn't matter. She ignored them.

Mr. Ordinary's place was nearby and they were back out of the car and climbing a set of stairs within a few minutes. He unlocked the door to his second floor apartment and invited her in with a flourish of his arm and a slight, mocking bow. Alyxandra swept in.

The apartment was definitely the home of a bachelor, but a neat one. The place was immaculate. It screamed 'old man'.

"This is your apartment?"

"It's somebody's apartment." He said, but it sounded more like some body's.

He grinned at her and she smiled slyly back.

"Hungry?" He asked.

Alyxandra's smiled vanished, "Huh?"

He chuckled and approached her aggressively, trapping her against the wall. He planted his hands at either side of her head and pressed his body against hers. He didn't try to kiss her.

She was annoyed. Her meals were usually much more accommodating. She should have been done with this by now and be free to have some fun, either back home with Puppy or back at the club. She could think of a few fun things she could do to get herself in trouble before it'd be late enough to need to go home. Mr. Ordinary was going to have to provide her with some fun in order to compensate her the time she'd lost.

He snapped his fingers in her face to regain her attention. She smiled up at him.

She breathed evenly as she curled the fingers of her left hand into his hair. He continued to stare down at her, blessedly silent and still.

"Relax," she commanded him.

"I'm relaxed."

"Don't touch me," she warned.

"Yes ma'am," he smiled.

She pulled his head to the side and struck, sinking her upper canines into the meat of his shoulder. His blood was better than she could have hoped for. It was unusually rich, extraordinarily thick and invigorating.

Mr. Ordinary ignored her demands and wrapped his arms around her, one of his hands holding her head firmly in place. She dug the fingers of her right hand painfully into his upper arm. He didn't complain.

She gasped as she realized what she was drinking. No, not human blood. She'd tasted blood like this before. She pulled away from him and licked the wound closed, a gesture borne from habit. No good had ever come to her from drinking another vampire's blood.

"Why do you do that?" It wasn't Mr. Ordinary's voice, but it came from the body pressed against her.

"What?" She asked, her breath ragged.

"Breathe. Why do you breathe?"

"Oh..." Alyxandra had been asked that before. She sucked in a deep breath and shuddered.

"It helps clear my head. It calms me down."

"Huh."

She looked at him. His appearance had changed.

"Malcolm Bishop," she whispered, recognizing the not-so-ordinary face above her. If vampires could be prone to nausea, she would have been getting sick on him at that moment.

"Is that what you've been calling me?" He smiled in a friendly way and giggled – an unexpected and unpleasant sound.

"What else am I going to call you?" A chill ran along her spine.

He shrugged. "Miss me?"

"No," Alyxandra growled at him. She'd have been quite happy to go the rest of her life without seeing his face again. Or any other he chose to wander about in.

"That's not very friendly. I thought you might be happy to see your sire again."

"That was never proven to my satisfaction."

"No? We could re-enact the scene of the crime."

It was an unpleasant idea. Instead he brought his mouth down to hers and kissed her. His lips bruised hers with the force of the act, and he forced his tongue into her mouth. She struggled against him, kicking at his shins, and ripping at his hair with her fist. He had her locked tightly against himself and her struggles were feeble. She bit him.

He didn't release her immediately, but he did stop kissing her. His eyes widened and he brought a few fingers to his tongue, poking at it gingerly. It was nearly severed. She glared at him. He grinned back as a string of blood ran down his chin. He let her go and held his tongue, concentrating on healing the damage.

After a moment, he wiggled his tongue at her and approached for round two. She aimed a kick at his groin. He stopped.

"The downstairs equipment doesn't work anymore, you know."

Alyxandra grinned viciously, "I know. But even impotent vampires can get it up with a little work."

"You think I'm going to rape you?" He barked out a laugh, not unlike the way he'd laughed back at the club.

"I don't know what you want, but you can't have _that_. Only Puppy gets to touch."

"He can keep it. I'm not interested in your body. But I have given you a generous amount of my blood tonight. I get something in return." He crooked at finger at her.

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You like to play games, don't you? Of course you do. Let's play a game." His grin was a little frightening.

Alyxandra looked towards the door. He snapped his fingers again.

"Come here," he commanded.

She went. She didn't want to, but her feet dragged her over to him no matter that she wanted to be nowhere near him. Not long after she'd become a vampire, he'd laid claim to her. She suspected she'd never know if he were the one to have turned her, but it might explain the ease with which he could control her.

"I've come up in the world since we last met. Before our game concludes, perhaps you'll have done the same. I just want you to remember one thing." He stroked her face gently.

She stared into his eyes.

"Stay out of the sun."


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

At 4am, Mike still hadn't heard from his wife. The club would have stopped letting people in an hour ago, and now would be encouraging those people to leave, getting ready to close its doors for the day. He had tried her cellphone, but there had been no answer. Now, he pulled into the club's parking lot for the second time that evening. It was quickly emptying.

The bouncer at the door had changed, but the expression on his face was no friendlier.

"She's not here," he said to Mike.

"Lukas, isn't it?" Mike thought he recognized the vampire goon. "When did she leave?"

"Early, _mutt_. Found some better company than you and took off."

That was good. If she'd left with someone to feed, then she'd likely be home soon. He nodded to the vampire, who sneered in return, and headed back home.

--

It was dangerously close to sunrise when Alyxandra made it home. Mike knew she was there before he heard her key unlocking the front door.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you?" He asked her when she slipped into the living room.

She didn't look at him, nor did she answer. Her eyes were bright and feverish, but she was breathing heavily and there was a light sheen of bloody sweat on her forehead. She dropped her keys to the floor and headed towards the staircase.

"Alyx?" Mike followed her. She didn't respond.

She stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked up.

"Puppy?" She blinked a few times and collapsed.

Mike caught her before she hit the ground. She was asleep, or passed out. Either way, she wasn't waking up. Her breathing had stopped and she was limp in his arms.

He carried her upstairs and laid her down on their bed. She was nearly impossible to wake once she'd fallen asleep for the day, entering a comatose or catatonic-like state. If he wanted to know what had happened, it would have to wait till the next night. He pulled her boots off, then her burgundy leather pants, not an easy task. He deemed her white shirt comfortable enough for her to sleep in, and left it, even though it had a few drops of blood around the collar. The scent told him that it was not her blood. He pulled a blanket over her and collapsed onto the bed beside her, exhausted enough himself.

--

"Listen, the dead are singing!" Alyxandra sat up in bed, her voice panicked.

"Who's dead?" Mike asked sleepily.

Alyxandra shrieked.

He looked at her, groggy and confused.

She shrieked again and threw her pillow at him. She jumped out of bed and knocked over the lamp on her bedside table. She shrieked once more and groped around for something else to throw.

"Could you stop that?" He asked, irritated, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The alarm clock claimed the time to be 8am. He wanted more sleep than that.

Alyxandra stopped screaming, but looked no less panicked. Her eyes were wide and darting around the room. She focused in on the bedroom door and bolted for it. She wrenched it open and flung herself into the darkened hallway.

Mike cursed and flew after her. The hallway was safe enough, but if she made it much further, she'd be reminded why vampires should be sleeping this time of day. Fortunately, she seemed disoriented and that was slowing her down. He grabbed her around the waist before she could reach the end of the hall and fling herself down the stairs.

"You don't want to do that, hun."

She writhed in his arms, then went limp. It didn't help. Mike simply grunted and kept his grip on her. He dragged her back into the bedroom and kicked the door closed.

She started screaming again and jerked her head back, slamming the top of her skull into his nose. He dropped her.

"Son of a!" He reached for his nose, couldn't tell if it was broken, but felt a trickle of blood. Broken or not, it'd heal fast enough.

He had to grab his wife again when she made another attempt for the door. He curled himself around her and shushed her. She struggled, but he held her in an iron grip. She went limp and sobbed. He looked at the clock again and sighed. Shushing her and rocking her in his arms, he tried to calm her down.

She turned her head to peer up at him fearfully and her body went rigid. His grip tightened on her, expecting another struggle.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She didn't answer. "Alyx?"

"Let me go," she whispered.

"Are you going to run away again?"

She seemed to think about it. "Yes."

"Then I'm not letting go. Do you know what time it is?"

"Stay out of the sun."

"Yeah," Mike said, and loosened his grip by a hair. She still looked terrified and he didn't trust her.

She looked towards the door again, then back up at him.

"Who are you?"

"What?" This was a new one.

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Are you going to run?"

"No," she said. He loosened his grip, but positioned himself in front of the door before letting her go.

She pointed a finger at him and glared accusingly.

"You've kidnapped me."

He stared at her a moment, trying to figure out if she were serious or not. She looked terrified.

"What's wrong with you? What happened last night?"

"What?" She asked, confused. "I came home. I was going to bed, and then... I don't _know_ you. This is all wrong. Where's Verena? You... and where _am_ I?"

Mike wasn't at all sure what to say. He tried to remain calm and speak in a soothing voice.

"You're home, baby. Your sister isn't here."

"I'm not your baby," she spat. "And you're not a vampire."

"No..."

"I was expecting a vampire."

"I think you found one."

Alyxandra sat down on the bed, and pointed at him again, warningly, when he took a step towards her.

"Who are you?"

"I'm your husband."

"That's not funny."

"Debatable," he countered. "You left the club with someone last night. What happened?"

"I didn't go to a club last night. I was at someone's house, but I didn't leave with anyone. I went home." Her voice was getting high, edging towards hysteria.

"Then what's the last thing you remember?"

"I just told you," she dropped her head into her hands. "I was at someone's house. Some of _them_ were there. I talked to them for a while, then I went home. It was late, but Verena wasn't home yet. So I was going to go to bed."

"Them? Who?"

"Vampires. You know about them?" She looked up at him.

"Vamps, yes. But who were they?"

"They were thinking about making me one of them. But you're not a vampire. So what am I doing here?"

Mike tipped his head back and closed his eyes, thinking.

"Where are my clothes?" She suddenly demanded, looking down at herself. She looked up at him and glared. He pointed to the closet.

She jumped up and slid the closet door open. She frowned, but grabbed a pair of black slacks and slipped them on.

"These aren't mine."

He looked at her. "I don't think they'd fit me."

"Who are you?" She asked again.

He sighed.

"I'm going home."

"No," he blocked the door again. "You are home, Alyx. You need to go back to bed. Look what time it is."

She considered this, and clutched at her throat.

"Stay out of the sun," she whispered. "Why?"

"Vampires and the sun... bad."

"I'm not a vampire."

"Yeah, babe. You are." He flipped on the bedroom light and pointed her over to the mirror above their dresser.

She turned to look, then looked back at him questioningly.

He opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a pocket knife. She jumped back and away from him, but he only frowned at her as he opened the blade. He pressed the edge against his thumb and slid the knife across, cutting himself enough to let the blood flow.

Alyxandra inhaled sharply and gasped as the smell reached her. Her upper canines elongated and she leaned towards his bleeding finger. He gestured towards the mirror again, then stuck his thumb in his mouth. When he pulled it out again, the wound was already neatly closing.

She looked in the mirror again and froze. She stared, eyes wide and confused. She brought her hand to her mouth and touched the sharp fangs, tugged at them, testing to see if they were real. Her skin was unnaturally pale. Otherwise, she didn't look all that different from what she had expected to see.

"I don't remember." She looked at Mike again, her voice was soft and sounded painfully lost.

He reached out to her, but she backed away from him and shook her head. Her eyes were beginning to droop.

"You need to sleep baby."

"What are you?"

She backed herself into the corner and slid to the floor, a sharp sob ripping out of her chest.

"Who are you?"

"I'm your puppy," he whispered as he knelt down beside her. She fell forward into his arms as she succumbed once again to the weight of unnatural sleep.

--

Alyxandra woke up much more calmly than she had that morning. That man – she still didn't know who he was, or what his name was, had his arms wrapped snuggly around her. His face was buried against the back of her neck and she could feel his breath against her ear. When she tried to pull away from him, carefully so as not to wake him, he grunted and tightened his arm around her.

She had the strong urge to hit him, but thought better of it. Instead, she considered her options. As far as she saw it, she didn't have many. She couldn't remember being turned into a vampire, but that didn't change the fact that she was one. She didn't remember ever seeing the man in bed with her before, and he'd been unwilling to answer her questions with any honesty. The room she was in was unfamiliar. And of course, the man was not a vampire. He healed quickly though, she remembered seeing that. He was also stronger than she was. She hadn't been able to escape when he'd held her. What that all meant, she didn't know. She did know that she didn't want to be here.

She made another attempt to pull herself away from the man's embrace. This time, his arms remained still, but her hair caught. She cursed under her breath as she pulled her hair, slowly, out from under his head. Having her hair free, she slid off the bed. She glanced back at him to make sure he hadn't been disturbed. A chill worked its way up her spine. He was looking at her.

"Feeling better?" He asked.

He had changed his clothes since she'd lost consciousness. The fact that she must have been left alone sometime while she slept irked her. She'd missed an opportunity to escape. She was still dressed, which gave her some relief. At least he hadn't molested her.

She eyed the door, much closer to it than he was.

"Alyx? Talk to me, hun."

He sat up in bed and watched her, but he didn't make a move toward her. Encouraged, she crept to the door, keeping her eyes on him. The doorknob turned, but the door refused to budge. She felt uneasy taking her eyes off him, but she wanted the damned door open. She glared at the doorknob and rattled it.

"Had to put the deadbolt on the door a couple years ago. You were having nightmares and I was worried you'd run downstairs like to you tried earlier and get yourself hurt."

Well, that explained that. He was obviously insane.

"Is this a test?" She asked, an idea taking form. She grasped at it desperately.

"Test?"

"Yeah. Are the vampires testing me? Seeing what I'll do? I don't know what I'm supposed to do. So if that's what this is, I'd really appreciate it ending now."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"That sounded far more ridiculous out loud than it did in my head."

He smiled, but his eyes looked a little sad.

"If someone's playing games with you, and I strongly suspect that's the case, it isn't me."

"But what am I doing here?"

"I want to clear something up first. I didn't know you knew about vampires before you were embraced. I'm wondering if that last night you remember was the night it happened."

"I don't know," she squeezed her eyes shut, frustrated. She didn't want to cry again. She wanted answers. "Maybe? They weren't happy that I'd figured out what they were. I kind of got the idea they were going to do something soon."

"Letting you find out would have broken a few rules. I'll bet they weren't happy. So far it makes sense. Do you remember the date?"

"It was Saturday," Alyxandra said, "Early Sunday. What day is it now?"

"No hun, the date. Month, year..."

She gave him an incredulous look.

He reached over to his bedside table and grabbed something. The television flicked on. He flipped through the channels with the remote and stopped on a news station. He gestured for her to look.

Her eyes bulged.

"What was the date?"

"That is _not_ true!"

"Hun..."

"1995," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut, "Saturday on June 10th."

"Sounds about right," he said. "You've forgotten everything since you were embraced. Someone's screwing with your head."

Alyxandra was shaking, but not crying. Tears were close, panic was closer. Her heart didn't beat, much less pound. There was no sound of blood rushing in her ears, though there was adrenaline. And just now, she did not breathe. She could hear everything, every sound he made, but she still failed to notice him shutting the television off and then approaching her. She flinched when he touched her.

"I've seen you mess with people's heads. It always wears off." He stroked her face. "They're confused, but they get themselves back."

"I don't believe you," she whispered, repeating the words over and over.

It made him angry. He could feel the tightly controlled rage stirring inside him, wanting to sprout claws and shred its way out. The release would feel good, ripping apart whoever had done this to his wife would feel wonderful.

"Will you please let me go?" She pleaded.

"Alyx," he sighed. "Where are you going to go? This is your home."

She pushed away from him and hissed, baring her teeth. Her fingers were hooked, ready to tear into him. Holding her head low, she glared up at him, pupils dilated. He met her glare for glare, unflinching.

She looked like Verena, which might be obvious seeing that they'd been twins, but even so, they had always been easy to tell apart. The eyes were all wrong, but she did not look like herself at all, not at this moment. That innocent and childlike façade he'd marveled at less than 24 hours ago was gone. She looked older. She looked neither sweet nor innocent. She looked angry, and she looked like she had been pushed past her breaking point. He also happened to think she looked more beautiful than usual just then, and could have cursed himself for being aroused at such an inappropriate time.

"Let me go."

"Out of this room, fine. Out of this house, not a chance."

"I'll call the police."

"I don't think they're equipped to handle family disputes between vampires and werewolves."

Her head shot up and her mouth snapped shut. Her entire demeanor was radically altered in the blink of an eye. She looked him over critically.

"Werewolf?" She sounded doubtful, the idea laughably ridiculous.

He grinned. Curiosity was good. At least she wasn't on the verge of tears or ready to try ripping his throat out.

"I don't suppose you're willing to prove that?"

"Oh, I can prove that one. Little concerned you might not be ready to see it."

"Show me."

"All right..." He started undressing. That didn't make her happy, but she didn't say anything, just positioned herself further away from him against the wall.

He grew larger, taller, his entire body filled out with powerful muscle. Fur sprouted out over his body. His face elongated, forming a muzzle. His eyes changed color, becoming a burnished gold color. He was _huge_, with a disturbing number of sharp teeth and claws at the ends of his fingers – though they weren't really fingers anymore, and his toes.

Alyxandra took in all nine feet of the steel-grey Crinos werewolf standing before her and squeezed her eyes shut again. She nodded her head to show his claims had been proven true, and waited for the monster to go _away_.

She didn't open her eyes again until she heard him pulling his clothes back on.

"Are you OK?"

"No!" She snapped, finding the question absurd.

"You believe me now?"

"That you're scarier than me? Yeah, got it."

"Not what I meant."

She stared at him.

"Are you going to listen to me now?"

"You're not my husband. This is not my house. You might be a werewolf, but no, I don't believe you. I still think you kidnapped me, and I still want to go home."

"I'll tell you what..." he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Why don't you get cleaned up. Take a shower, change. Then come downstairs and look around the house. Maybe you'll remember something."

He took her lack of a response as agreement and pulled a key out of his pocket.

"I'll be downstairs," he said as he unlocked the door. He closed the door behind him when he left, but she didn't hear the door lock again.

She considered her chances of escaping through an unfamiliar house without being caught. She sighed in resignation and went to explore the bathroom.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Freshly showered, hair blown dry, and wrapped in an extra large and fluffy soft bath towel, Alyxandra fingered through the clothes hanging in the closet. Most were nicer than anything she'd ever had hanging in her own closet. Even growing up, with fairly well-to-do parents footing the bill for her wardrobe, she'd shopped the sales racks for off brands. She didn't know whom actually owned this wardrobe, but she was a little envious, despite the fact that half of what hung there, she would never wear herself. Whoever she was, she was fond of leather. Especially when it came in pants form. She thought her sister would better appreciate those. She finally settled on a conservative pair of dark grey slacks, much like the black ones she'd worn earlier, and a rust colored blouse, silk. At least they'd cover most of her skin. That man who'd gone downstairs, that werewolf – she _still_ didn't know his damned name - seemed all too fond of putting his arms around her. She didn't want to encourage him.

Finding underwear was not as much fun. There was a lot of it in the dresser drawers. Some of it made her want to blush, and when she brushed a few bras aside and found a whip hiding beneath them, she was sure she _did_ blush. The idea of wearing someone else's personal items like this made her uncomfortable. It was kind of gross, actually, but she made her selection and dressed hurriedly, before she could think too much about it.

Alyxandra found herself nervous about leaving the room, though wasn't sure why. She said a small prayer before opening the door, afraid it might be locked again. It wasn't. The hallway was dark, but there was a small pool of light down at the far end, so she made her way in that direction, doing so quietly. At the end and to her right was the staircase leading down to the main floor. She crept down the steps, and once at their base, she found herself staring at the front door and the promise of freedom. She glanced around nervously, but didn't see her captor. She reached her hand out tentatively for the door.

_Knock, knock, knock._

Alyxandra jumped back and slapped her hands over her mouth, cutting off a hushed shriek.

"That's just Alex. I need him to take over some work for me." Her captor appeared through the living room doorway and came into the entryway. He pulled the door open and greeted the new arrival.

Alyxandra backed away from him when he entered the house and eyed him critically. He was eying her in return, suspiciously, but with a look of familiarity. She didn't like him, though she couldn't say way.

"Alyx," he nodded at her.

"She doesn't remember you. Come on, I'll fill you in while I get you started with the paperwork. I think I might be unavailable for a few days, but for once a crisis has decided to hit when business is slow."

Alex looked from Alyxandra to Mike. His eyes settled over her again.

"You don't remember me?" He asked.

Alyxandra shook her head.

"Okay... stay out of the kitchen, all right?"

She decided they were both nuts.

Mike seemed ready to laugh about something, but only smiled. He led Alex down a hallway leading off from the entryway. She didn't follow.

They continued on down the hall and disappeared into a room at its far end. She stayed behind to look around. The front door remained a temptation, but she was a little curious now, and was unsure how far she'd get on foot anyway. The werewolf had suggested she see if anything in the house seemed familiar, after all, so why not?

The living room revealed no secrets. It was a nice enough room, brightly lit and comfortable, if somewhat masculine in its design. Floor to ceiling shelves overflowing with their collection of books lined one wall, an impressive entertainment center on another. There were a number of small potted trees scattered about, mostly in the corners. The furnishings seemed to be chosen more for comfort than for style, but everything blended together to provide a pleasing, well lived-in atmosphere. She did notice, however, a lack of identity in the room. The pictures on the walls were mostly black and white landscapes, two depicting wolves. There was no family portrait, no pictures of friends, no pictures of anyone. It struck her as a little sad.

The dining room was much the same, in that its design had the same masculine touch. The wall hangings were of the same flavor, there were more plants, and again, a lack of personal identity. One wall featured a deep curio cabinet which displayed an impressive assortment of chess sets. A modest dining room table resided at one end of the room, the other end open space, likely to provide an easy path for anyone moving through the house.

One thing did catch her eye though, a bag sitting atop the dining room table. It was a woman's purse, if an unfamiliar one. But then, everything so far had been unfamiliar. She picked it up and upended it over the table. A shower of yellow crayons poured out, followed by a set of keys and finally, a wallet. The wallet did look familiar, if a little more worn than she remembered. The crayons, however, were a puzzle and there were dozens of them. She picked up a handful and frowned.

"You kind of have a thing for them."

She jumped a little at the unexpected interruption. Her werewolf stood in the doorway to the living room, watching her.

"What am I, a preschool teacher?"

"I don't think they have night school for toddlers," he grinned. "You've got a funny theory about yellow crayons. Only the Crayola ones. You like to try and feed them to Garou."

"Garou?"

"Werewolves."

"Oh... OK. That's a little weird."

He smiled fondly.

She picked up the wallet and opened it, not expecting to find much inside. The last time she remembered opening it, it had contained little more than her driver's license, a Visa with a pitiful credit limit, and nearly maxed out at that, a few crumpled bills, and a generous number of pictures featuring her family and friends. The collection of photos was still there, though as she flipped through them, the majority seemed to have been replaced with pictures of her werewolf captor. There were still plenty of pictures of Verena. Very few remained of her friends or of the rest of her family. Only one remained of her parents, tattered with age, as if the photo had been removed and handled many times. The pictures of her sister left an ache where her heart sat silent and still.

The driver's license had also changed. Illinois! Why on earth would she have an Illinois state driver's license? She'd never stepped foot out of California before. The date issued made no sense. The picture didn't look familiar, but it was definitely her. The date of birth listed was wrong.

"According to this, I'm ten years old." She held the card up.

"It says you're twenty-two. This is 2008 babe, not 1995. You're thirty-two years old, but even having your ID say twenty-two was pushing it."

"I'm only nineteen," she insisted.

He sighed, but didn't argue. She went back to examining her find.

Her credit card collection had grown, as had the amount of cash it contained. The bills looked different though, some of them at least. The crisp, new twenties looked odd.

All in all, it seemed like an awful lot of trouble to go through, having all these items forged, just to convince her that she hadn't been kidnapped. Why all the bother? It made no sense. But she couldn't believe the alternative. It was too ridiculous. She didn't want to believe it.

"Hey!" Something had suddenly occurred to her. "Everything in here has the wrong name on it."

He stared at her.

"Everything says 'Alyxandra Ramsey'. It should say 'K. Alexandra Ramsey' or 'Katherine A. Ramsey'. My name is spelled wrong. But they _do_ say Ramsey. Not... whatever your last name is."

He opened his mouth to speak, and was promptly cut off.

"By the way, I still have no idea _who_ you are."

He smiled.

"Michael Karrde. Mike, though you've always called me Puppy. And you never took my name. You had your reasons. And yes, you changed your name a little. Dropped the Katherine and added in the 'y'. You claimed people kept stealing your 'e' when you tried to use your name on the computer. Besides the change helped keep people off your tail after your embrace."

"I'm not calling you Puppy." Alyxandra said, not sure what else _to_ say. She stuffed the keys and wallet into her pockets. She found the smile he was giving her far too affectionate. She glared at him disapprovingly.

"Who's that other guy? Alex."

"My nephew. He's also my business partner. Good guy. He won't bother you."

"That must get confusing, our names."

Mike snickered, then outright laughed. She really didn't understand why that was so funny.

"Yeah, it's caused a few problems."

She bit her lip, thinking.

"If I'm supposed to live here, I don't see a lot of me around here. None, so far."

"You read and play on the computer a lot." He shrugged. "You're not that in to _things_. Means the clutter and mess are usually mine, but your mark is here. True, I didn't give you free reign in decorating, but you never liked me buying anything for the house without your approval either. Most of the artwork was your choice. Plants too. You love torturing the poor things. You did most of the gardening outside."

All plausible. She tried to find an argument and couldn't. She did like look of the house, at least what she'd seen thus far. She didn't know that she'd had any hand in putting any of it together, but she approved of it.

"I don't play chess." She said, grasping for something.

"I do," his grin was infuriating.

"What kind of books do I read then?"

"Everything. Your tastes range even wider than mine. One month you're obsessing over every book on gemstones you can find. Luckily you haven't moved on to buying actual gemstones. The next it's psychology or rare medical conditions. I had all kinds of obscure diseases that month. You were convinced for a while you had narcolepsy, and had a little too much fun trying to prove it. There was a philosophy and religion phase. Lots of novels in most genres. No romance. You like to refer to them as low budget porn."

She started to smile at that, then fixed the glare back into place. Maybe he'd done his homework before he'd kidnapped her.

"You're also a nut for those game books. Math puzzles and logic problems. You think they're hilarious."

He'd definitely done his homework. Maybe he'd gone through her things at the apartment she shared with her sister.

"What about Verena?"

He didn't seem to like that question. His eyes darkened and the smile vanished.

"Your sister's not here."

"Yeah, you said that before. Where is she?"

"She's gone baby."

"Where?" Her voice grew heated and impatient. And if he called her baby again, she thought she would tear his eyes out, even if he did turn into a furry monster.

His cheek twitched.

"We can talk about it later. Why don't you keep looking around? The backyard maybe? We spend a lot of time out there."

"Lots of sunbathing?" She asked, her voice tense. She didn't know what he was hiding about her sister, but she would bring it up again.

"Yes, you love that warm, tingly, crispy sensation." He winked, brushed his hand along her arm, and then turned away before she could react to his touch. He went back through the living room, into the entryway, and down the hallway again.

She followed him.

This room was warmer than the rest of the house, and the cause was immediately apparent. It was full of electronics. There were a number of computers, even more monitors, things she couldn't name, and several desks. A low hum filled the room, the sound of lots of tiny fans working overtime. All in all, the room was an orderly mess. Except for one desk, which if she had to claim one as belonging to herself, that one would be it. She recognized a few pictures sitting off to the side, or pushed there, by the stacks of papers and notes that cluttered the desk space. Two she didn't recognize, one being a stunning steel-grey colored dog. It was a huge animal, and stared at the camera intelligently, looking slightly amused and resigned at the same time. The other was a photo of herself and a younger version of her werewolf captor – Mike, she corrected herself. It was clearly doctored, she'd never posed for such a picture. It looked more than Verena in the picture anyway, though oddly, her eyes looked funny. Almost yellow instead of blue. Yes, clearly doctored.

She sifted through the piles of notes. Few made sense. Most looked passable as her handwriting, but she recognized nothing. She gave up and turned the computer on. Maybe she'd find something there. She didn't feel enthusiastic.

She glanced over at the two men, neither of whom was paying any mind to her, which was just fine with her. She didn't like the feeling of eyes on her, expectant, waiting for her to do something.

Mike left the room, leaving her alone with Alex, whom immediately took notice of her presence. His posture was wary, and he seemed to be trying to keep an eye on her and ignore her all at once.

"Are you afraid of me?" She asked, surprised, the notion silly to her. She was just a vampire, after all. Nothing scary, that. Not compared to a nine foot tall clawed beast, certainly. Unless he didn't know.

He turned to face her, reluctant, and offered a lopsided grin. He oozed wary distrust and palpable unease.

"Afraid? No... not afraid. Why should I be afraid of a homicidal vampire?" His light and playful tone of voice contradicted badly with the expression on his face.

"Who's homicidal?" She asked, feeling she should be insulted.

"You did attack me with a knife the first time we met."

"Why?"

"You said I stole your name."

She blinked. She doubted she would ever do such a thing.

"I'm sorry." She said, and meant it, but doubted the truth of it anyway. It was a disappointment. Telling this guy she was being held here against her will wasn't going to get her very far. He was clearly in on it.

He shrugged as if it didn't matter. But even when he bent back over his work, he still seemed to be trying to keep an eye on her.

She turned back to the computer, which had finished booting up. There was little of interest to find there. She had a little trouble figuring out how to get around, not recognizing the operating system. Once she figured out how to find a list of directories on the hard drives, of which she found three, she scanned through them all. One folder was simply labeled as 'Bad'. Exploring it left her feeling red in the face and she shot Alex a quick and self-conscious look while she clicked the files closed. Most had been images, and mercifully of nobody she knew. In any case, she deemed the folder's name appropriate.

Discouraged, she shut the computer back off. She noticed then that the room had no windows. It made her feel a little claustrophobic, something she'd never really suffered from. Time to see more of the house. There were three other doors in the hallway, all closed. The one to her left revealed a little bedroom, sparsely furnished, and having the feel of rare use. There were no windows in this room either, due to its odd position at the center of the house. Without windows, it seemed to make more sense to use this bedroom during the day rather than the one upstairs. She wondered why that wasn't the case.

The two doors to her right revealed a bathroom, which even if she lived here, she doubted she'd ever have much need for, and a flight of stairs leading down into a heavy darkness. She hesitated over that doorway, but the darkness below felt ominous, and she finally shut the door.

She had to laugh at herself, being nervous about a dark basement. If she were a vampire, then being afraid of the dark was going to lead to a difficult existence.

She headed back through the entryway, swept past the living and dining rooms, and found herself in the kitchen. This was definitely a room she'd have little use for, unless vampires kept blood stored in the freezer. She doubted it. She did peek in the fridge though, curious. It was stocked with the usual fare. Eggs, milk, juice... lots of leftovers of the take-out variety. A look into the freezer indicated that Mike did indeed enjoy a carnivorous diet. It was better stocked than the fridge. No blood.

Her self guided tour next led her to a mud room, clean, and bare save for a bench and coat rack. This room led to the backyard.

The backyard was peaceful. And large. She counted at least nine trees, most surrounding a small, oddly shaped pond. She followed the stone path leading in its direction. The path was lit by old fashioned style lamps. There was even a bench beneath the tree canopy, giving the yard the look and feel of a small, private park. She took a seat and gazed into the crystal clear water. Not a pond, it was a swimming pool.

In any case, it was quiet, felt safe, and she could relax. She was surprised how much she did relax. She'd been stressed, but hadn't realized just how tight her muscles had been. Nor had she noticed the knot in her stomach, which was growing looser. A girl could get used to this place. Minus the werewolf maybe. He gave her the creeps, and seemed to feel the need to touch her more often than she'd have liked. Maybe it was a wolf thing. Maybe he just liked her. She didn't care, so long as he knocked it off.

She slammed her fist into the back of the bench, sending a jolt of pain up her arm, which faded as quickly as it had come. She didn't want to be comfortable here, or get used to the place. This was not her home and she did not belong here. These men were strangers, and at least one of them was intent on keeping her here. She was infuriated with herself for not taking any opportunity given to escape.

Instead of getting up, returning to the house, and going through the front door, she pulled her legs up against her chest and rested her head on her knees. She wouldn't let herself cry. She wouldn't let herself enjoy the peace of her surroundings, or feel anger towards the two men in the house. She wouldn't let herself feel anything. She just sat and waited for the nightmare to end.

--

Mike had taken care to make sure he knew where his wife was throughout the night. He wasn't so worried now that she'd leave; she'd had the opportunity to try, though he was relatively sure he could have stopped her. She hadn't tried, and that was something at least. But the edge of anger still bit at him. He held it reined in, not wanting to scare her more than she already was.

He saw her tense when he stepped outside, so he knew she was aware of him. It stung a little. Any normal night, she'd have skipped across the yard and thrown herself at him, full of her unique brand of energy, full of life – as far as a vampire could be, happy. She'd ramble on in excitement about some epiphany she'd had, and while she oftentimes made no sense, he would listen anyway.

When he found out who had done this to her...

He clenched his jaw, wanted to snarl savagely, and rip with claws and teeth. Instead, he rolled his head on his shoulders, popping a muscle in his neck. He tensed and relaxed his shoulders. Far calmer, he strolled over to where Alyxandra sat in the darkness.

"It's about that time."

She didn't move, but her breathing changed. He wondered at that. Vampires didn't breath. They could, but they didn't need to. It was a quirk that Alyxandra always had done so anyway, but even then, she often 'forgot' to do it. Losing her memory, she still did it.

He took a seat next to her, went to put an arm around her, and stopped himself. He contented himself with brushing his fingertips along her spine. He kept the contact brief. She didn't flinch or pull away, but her eyes tightened.

"You're usually in bed by now. You've been out here all night."

"Okay," she said. She was tired. She'd felt her eyelids growing heavier, her thoughts sluggish. She'd attributed it to emotional exhaustion.

"Don't worry, I'll sleep in one of the guest rooms."

She followed him inside and upstairs. He let her take the bedroom she'd been in the night before, the master suite. And while she had suspicions about the deadbolt, she had to admit she wasn't likely to get anywhere with the sun making's its return. Besides, at that moment she looked forward to curling up and passing out. She might not even argue if he joined her, so long as he let her sleep and kept his hands to himself.

Before he left her, he checked the windows and the door to the bedroom's sitting room. It seemed something done out of habit, and she could only guess he was making certain no light could escape into the room. He seemed to want to say something before she closed the door, but in the end only wished her good sleep. Too tired to change or undress, she lay down on the bed, and was asleep as soon as her eyes were closed.

--

The next evening, Alyxandra awoke painfully aware of her surroundings. Unfortunately, nothing seemed any more familiar or clearer to her than it had before. She also awoke alone, and while she was relieved, it bothered her that she'd expected to find a warm body beside her.

She showered and dressed, spending more time than necessary looking through the wardrobe, trying different things on, as if shopping, almost enjoying herself. She settled on something more daring, for her at least. She examined herself in the mirror, and had to admit that she didn't look bad. She'd never thought much of her own looks, something that had irritated her sister, as her twin, she took personal offense at Alyxandra's self criticism. The black leather pants fit well, showing off a flatter stomach than she remembered having, and made her feel tough. She matched it with a feminine, azure colored tank top that softened down the look of the pants. Less tough, but also less cause to be self-conscious. All in all, she thought her sister would have approved. She also looked _older_, which pleased her greatly.

She made sure to transfer her keys and wallet to her new pants, and left the bedroom in high spirits, feeling confident and powerful. She was going to demand some answers from her werewolf – Mike, she reminded herself again. And she was going to put her foot down and insist on going home. She didn't belong here, didn't want to stay, and she'd be damned if he was going to keep her here. He hadn't locked her up in the basement or anything, so... maybe there was hope.

Stubbornly, she pushed back the fact that she'd passed up her chances of escape the night before. It didn't matter. She'd been scared and unsure of herself. She had no excuses tonight.

She made her way downstairs, head held high, refusing to let her confidence waver. It tried, when she found Mike downstairs at the dining room table, but she forced herself to greet him politely if coolly, and stand her ground.

He looked up and smiled warmly at her, and she wondered if he found her attractive. Her eyes widened, shocked at herself, and she shot him a furious look as though it were his fault she'd thought of such a thing. He said something, but she missed it, concentrating as she was on staying calm and keeping her cool. He looked puzzled over the warring emotions plain on Alyxandra's face, but he didn't call her out as a fraud, so she felt pleased with herself when she was sure her face was once again the picture of serenity.

"We need to talk," she told him.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel abandoned last night. I was trying to give you some space, hoping you'd remember something."

"What? No, no, that's not what I want to talk about."

"Well, I'm all yours tonight. I'd hoped you'd remember by now, but clearly... We should stop by the club and see if someone can tell us who you left with the other night."

Alyxandra sighed heavily, frustrated.

"Lukas said you'd left with someone, so I'll call over there and make sure he'll be in tonight. It's the best lead we have."

"Lukas?"

"Vamp, bouncer, goon... he was working the door when you left the club."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Do you have any idea how annoying that is?"

He grinned. Grinned! She wanted to smack him.

"Hun, we've been married for twelve years. I rarely know what you're talking about."

"That's part of what I want to talk about," she said, her voice hard.

He nodded, "Plenty of time. It's early yet, so I'll call in a bit. I wanted to ask though... you haven't eaten in a couple of nights. You OK?"

She hadn't thought of that. It was just one more thing to deal with, and she felt that stack of things was getting unfairly high. How was she supposed to tell if she needed to eat? She had no memory of being a vampire, much less ever biting anyone. The idea of drinking blood was not appealing, no matter how she'd reacted when she'd seen Mike's thumb bleeding. That had been completely instinctual. It had to have been.

"I don't know. I feel fine. I feel... good? Full. I have no idea."

"Don't worry, you'll know it when that changes. Even if you don't, I should be able to tell," he chuckled. "You're a mean little thing when you get hungry."

"Great, PMS for the undead."

"Something like that, but only when you go longer than you should."

She pursed her lips, something he'd said bothered her a little. Maybe not something he'd said so much as something... she wasn't sure. Something about blood.

"That shirt I was wearing had blood on it." She didn't know if that meant anything, but she offered up the information. It wasn't the subject she wanted to pursue, but as he'd said, there was plenty of time.

"You're right, I had forgotten about that. Can you get it?"

"You think it'll help?"

"Might. I've got a good nose."

"Okay..."

She found the shirt in the laundry hamper where she'd left it. It wasn't much blood, just a few dried droplets. Curiously, they had no affect on her. But they hadn't when she'd first noticed them either. She wasn't sure what they'd tell Mike, but she was willing to humor him.

Back downstairs, she handed the shirt over and waited.

He sniffed it, which made her want to giggle. She refrained, the situation wasn't funny. The idea, however, of this perfectly human looking man being able to make any sense from the scent of a drop of blood, struck her as absurd.

"Vampire, but nothing I recognize. Smells vaguely like yours, but I don't know... it's _not_ yours."

"Familiar with the scent of many a vampire's blood, are you?"

"Not many still walking," he grinned.

"That's comforting."

He winked at her. She glared.

"Should be late enough to call the club."

She took a seat on one of the ladder back chairs and waited, drumming her fingers on the table. She hadn't managed to say a single word that she'd intended. Her good mood had soured.

"Let's go," Mike said when he returned.

--

The garage, unexplored the night before, held another surprise. There was a monstrosity of a vehicle waiting, ominously, for its master's return. Alyxandra thought she might have seen something similar to its likeness in a war movie once. She couldn't imagine seeing one driven down the highway. Not unless it was a military convoy. She gaped at it, until Mike planted a hand on her back and guided her to the passenger side of a far more acceptable vehicle. The dark green BWM, complete with new-car smell, had nothing on the alternative.

Mike pulled out his wallet and the smallest cellular phone Alyxandra had ever seen from his pocket as he slid into the driver's seat. He tossed the phone into a cup holder, opened his wallet, and pulled out a small insert full of photos. The wallet followed the phone into the cup holder, and he handed the photos to Alyxandra.

"I forgot about those. Didn't know if you'd want to see them."

She looked through them as he pulled out of the garage and headed towards the club. Some were duplicates of what she'd found in her own wallet. There were several of her, though she didn't remember posing for any of them. In one, her eyes looked yellow, like the picture she'd found at her desk. Supposed to be her desk, she thought. She looked pretty wild in that one, looking at the camera in such a way that she couldn't imagine pulling off. It was a dangerous look. The others looked more like herself, all smiling. Something about the eyes bothered her even more than the two with the yellow looking eyes. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but they seemed to hold secrets. She didn't like it. It was an uncomfortable feeling, being creeped out by yourself.

"What was I like? As a vampire, I guess I mean. I've already been called homicidal. Apparently I had a weird thing for crayons. There was some kinky shit I found in that bedroom that I do _not_ want to know about. Little things have been hinted at."

Mike looked at her, brow furrowed, leaving lines across his forehead. He considered the question for a few minutes as he drove, his silence lasting long enough that she guessed he wouldn't answer.

"How much do you remember about the clans?"

"Apparently not enough. I know about one klan and I sure as hell don't think being a vampire would bring me anywhere closer..."

"No, no, no... vampire clans. Garou have them too, but we call them tribes. There are a lot of them. Gangrel, Nosferatu, Brujah, Tremere, Toreador, Ventrue... Malkavian."

"Ventrue sounds a little familiar."

"Of course it does," he mumbled under his breath, but Alyxandra didn't miss it.

"That must be it. I'm Ventrue."

"No babe, you're not Ventrue. Malkavian is your clan."

"I don't think so."

"Trust me."

"If you say so." She wasn't in the mood to argue about something she didn't understand. She did remember that word though, Ventrue. Those vampires she had been meeting with while she was still human had definitely mentioned it.

"Well, the Malkavians are thought to be a little... eccentric." He figured editing a little in his explanation might be forgivable. How did you tell someone they were insane? Alyxandra had never been so lucid as she'd been the last two nights. He didn't understand it, but there it was.

"I'm batshit?"

Mike nearly choked.

"Sometimes, babe. Sometimes..."

Alyxandra snickered.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

The nightclub was located on the Mississippi River, or so all the highway signs claimed, and they at least, were not subject to Alyxandra's distrust. She was thoroughly impressed with the building. It hung out over the river, three stories high, each floor jutting out a little further in an interesting reverse-ladder design.

"Are you coming with me?" Mike asked her.

She glanced at the bouncer manning the club's entrance and shook her head no. Knowing what to look for, she could only guess he was a vampire. She wasn't ready for any sort of confrontation. Maybe it was silly. She'd talked to vampires, more than one, and on more than one occasion. But still, it was different. She had felt safer in their company as a human.

"Alright," he said soothingly, seeing she was clearly uncomfortable. He pulled the car over into a no parking zone, put the car in park, and left the engine running. The keys swung invitingly front the ignition as he walked away, leaving her alone. She watched as he headed over towards the bouncer, who did not look happy to see Mike.

She watched their faces. She couldn't hear them.

A beam of light bounced off the keys as they swayed in the ignition, catching her attention again. She looked back towards Mike. He was saying something to the bouncer, whose face had grown nastier looking. The likelihood of a fight looked promising. She looked at the keys again. It was a hard decision. It shouldn't be, but the idea of doing what she was thinking of filled her with a sense of panic and dread.

"Oh hell!" She said to herself as she undid her seat belt and launched herself into the driver's seat. She threw the car into drive and hit the gas. In the rear view mirror she could see Mike and the bouncer, their expressions almost comical. The bouncer was laughing. Mike's face looked shocked and she could see the words form on his mouth, "Oh shit".

She was grateful that vampires could still experience the rush of adrenaline, because it helped keep her from thinking about what she was doing, and kept her from talking herself out of it. She flew out of the parking lot, nearly being struck as soon as the pulled out into the street. Horns blared, people most likely cursed, and she shot off away from the club and her captor.

A bridge stretched out across the river almost directly over the club. She could be in another state in a matter of minutes. She felt giddy, could actually feel the blood in her veins, and she could feel the mad grin stretched across her face. She laughed, knowing she sounded a little insane, but didn't care. She was terrified and relieved at the same time.

She hated bridges, but was halfway across it before she remembered this. She stared straight ahead, refusing to see just how high above the water she was, which was a considerable height. Traffic was moving painfully slowly. She wanted to give the little jeep ahead of her a bit of help by ramming into the back of it. It was a genuine temptation, which might have worried her if she hadn't been so keyed up. Strength of willpower was all that kept her from at least tailgating.

Once she passed the 'Welcome to Missouri' sign at the end of the bridge and entered the tiny town of West Riverton, she began darting frequent glances in her mirrors, checking to see if she were being followed. She wasn't sure how exactly Mike would have managed to do so that quickly, knew he couldn't have, but looked anyway.

As soon as two lanes became four, thinning traffic, she made better use of the BMW's powerful engine and stepped on the gas. She was risking being pulled over and ticketed, but she kept her speed down enough not to warrant being arrested. If the car was reported stolen it wouldn't matter anyway. She wasn't sure exactly how to get to California from where she was, but she figured she'd be safe keeping west until she felt safe enough to stop for a map.

Twenty minutes down the road, and more miles away than she ought to be that quickly, she saw a sign proclaiming 'Kansas City – 190 miles. Well, it was west. It had an airport...

"Kansas City it is," she said aloud, grinning. Having made this decision, her adrenaline rush finally started to subside and she could relax again. It was with confidence now that she started following the road signs to her new goal.

After another forty minutes, Mike's cellphone, which still rested in the cup holder beside her, started ringing. She stared at it as though it were venomous for a moment before she reluctantly picked it up. The screen announced the call as coming from her own phone, which she didn't know she owned, and which she assumed was back at the werewolf's house. She chewed her lip for a few seconds before flipping the phone open and pressing the little green talk button.

--

An hour after Alyxandra had driven off and left him in the parking lot of the nightclub, Mike finally walked through the front door of his house. After she'd left, he'd tried to get more information out of Lukas, the bouncer for the Riverview Club. Even getting past the taunts that Alyx might have found a better class of friend, Mike knew even a hyper-alert vampire couldn't keep straight the hundreds of faces moving in and out of the door of the club, especially those leaving, since his job was to control who got in. Add to that the fact that Mike was talking about something that had happened forty-eight hours earlier, and the chances dropped to next to nothing. Regardless of what Lukas had claimed to have seen previously, he could no longer recall having seen anyone at all. Besides, the dumb brick of a vampire wouldn't have made an ideal witness even in the best of situations.

He had reached for his cell phone to call a cab when Alyx left, only to realize his phone was lying in the car. Frustrated, worried, and even a bit angry, Mike had set off for home at a brisk pace, but the more his mind worked, the more he slowed down. In between steadying his breathing and controlling his anger and fear, he calmed himself with rational thought. Alyx wasn't herself, that was obvious, but through the last day or so of her strange behavior, she'd kept a firm grasp on one fact: stay out of the sun.

Before he even realized he'd taken a detour, he found himself in the woods where he and Alyx would romp and chase. He knew he could track the car with any number of electronic systems he'd had installed on the BMW, the LoJack system being the easiest to access quickly. The longer he walked, the more he planned, and by the time he walked through the front door, he knew what he was going to do. Since Alyx knew about the sun, she would have to stop before dawn every morning. Tonight, she might get seven or eight hours of road behind her. He could drive all day and easily catch up to her before she even started out again the next night.

After showering off the results of walking for an hour on a sticky summer night, Mike made his way to his office. Grabbing his wife's phone off her desk, he dialed the number for his own phone. There was no answer right away, which worried him a little. Did she know how to answer? Was she stubbornly going to refuse to do so? He'd just about convinced himself that she wouldn't answer when the other end picked up.

"Hello?" Alyxandra answered. She sounded unsure of herself.

"Alyx," he sighed, keeping his tone light. "What are you doing?"

There was a pause at the other end before she answered.

"I told you I wanted to go home."

"Then come back," he said, though he knew she wouldn't.

"Home," she stressed. "I'm going to California."

"That's fine, I'm not going to stop you. I just want to make sure you know what you're doing. I want you to be safe."

"I can take care of myself, you know." She argued, full of a teenager's indignation. "I don't need you."

"Listen, I'm only trying to help you. I'm here if you need me. If you run into trouble, I'm a phone call away. You know how to use the phone?"

She made a sound of disgust in her throat. "I'm not an idiot."

"I know you're not. Just promise me you'll be careful. You can trust me. I don't want you to be afraid to call; for any reason."

"Whatever."

He gritted his teeth, thankful he didn't have children, especially teen aged children. Alyxandra might not qualify, but she was doing a pretty damned good imitation.

"All right," he forced the annoyance he felt out of his voice. "I love you baby."

There was a sharp hissing from the other end before the call was disconnected.

Satisfied that Alyx was okay for the time being, Mike spent another hour or so collecting all the gear he thought he might need to chase a vampire halfway across the country. Sure, he planned to catch up with his wife in less than a day, but as the old saying went, the fastest way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans.

--

Fifteen minutes after Alyxandra had arrived at the Kansas City International Airport, she sat in the car, the parking lot quiet in the late hour. She wasn't sure what to make of the phone call with Mike, and after having more than two hours to think it over, replaying the whole conversation in her head over and over, analyzing every word, she'd made no progress. Trusting him was a comfortable temptation. It would be easy to turn the car around, go back to him, and let him take care of her. But she hadn't turned around. It was truly infuriating, how badly part of her wanted to trust him. After all, he hadn't lied about a few things. She truly was missing well over a decade of her life, and nearly anything could have happened in all those years. But the truth was, she was afraid to believe him.

She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes at herself, and gathered up the two sets of keys, the phone, and the two wallets. The extra set of keys she locked in the glove compartment, and after transferring the cash from Mike's wallet to her own, she locked that in there as well. Altogether she had a little over two hundred dollars in cash, but she wasn't sure it would be enough to buy a plane ticket. Using the credit cards made her nervous, but she would use them if necessary.

The clock on the dashboard read 12:47 in the morning. Hopefully that meant she had time to fly to California and avoid the morning sun. There was a two hour difference in the time zones, so it was promising.

She forced a smile on her face and made her way out of the parking lot.

"Good evening, how may I be of assistance?" The woman spoke in a monotone that matched well with her bored expression and fake smile. Her crisp blue and white uniform suggested she hadn't been on shift long, but her drooping posture suggested she'd rather be home and in bed.

Alyxandra smiled, far more genuinely than the other woman, and leaned against the counter.

"I need to check on flights to California. Burbank preferably, but LAX would do. Or anything in southern California, I guess. I need to leave as soon as possible."

The woman nodded and began tapping away at the terminal in front of her.

"We have a departure for LAX with one stop at 5:45 this morning, and another departing for Burbank with two stops leaving at 6:00 this morning."

"No, no... I really need an overnight flight." Alyxandra read the woman's name, printed on her black and gold name tag, "Donna? You don't have anything leaving earlier? What if I wait till tomorrow night?"

"There's nothing leaving earlier, but if you'd like to wait until tomorrow evening, we have a number of flights leaving before 8:00."

"Nothing a little later? Maybe nine at night?" Alyxandra asking, wincing at the whining tone she heard in her voice. She wasn't sure exactly what time the sun set or rose, and she wasn't willing to take any chances. She didn't even know just _how_ dark it had to be outside for it to be safe.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but there just aren't that many departures in the middle of the night. Since nine-eleven a lot of people don't fly anymore, so there are fewer flights."

"So, ahh... I have to find a flight that leaves before 9:00 at night?" Alyxandra was confused.

The woman, Donna, wrinkled her nose, gave her customer a look that suggested she thought little of her intelligence, and shook her head.

"You know," she said to Alyxandra in the same monotone voice, "nine-eleven. The thing with the Trade Towers and all. Would you like to reserve a seat for another flight?"

"No," Alyxandra said, feeling crushed. She tapped her fingernails on the counter, thinking. Maybe buying a ticket would be a good idea, even if she didn't use it, especially if she used one of the credit cards. She didn't know if Mike was going to try and pursue her, but she figured using the credit cards would leave a pretty good trail behind for him to follow. If she purchased a ticket and he was keeping an eye on the card's usage, he might catch a flight himself and try to stop her. It could buy her some time. The cash she had should be enough to get her by for a couple of days. Maybe... she hadn't needed to stop for gas yet, but she hadn't failed to notice the shockingly high prices at all the gas stations she'd driven by. If she was going to need to drive, she'd have to stop for gas soon.

Donna was staring at her with a worried expression, and had taken a step back, putting her out of Alyxandra's reach. This puzzled Alyxandra, but then she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror finish of the airline's logo on the wall behind Donna. She'd been glaring daggers at the poor woman, who, while not entirely professional, hadn't really done anything to deserve having such anger directed at her. The look on her face shocked her and sent a chill running up along her spine. She hadn't even been feeling particularly angry, only a little frustrated.

"I'm sorry," Alyxandra told Donna, her voice soft, trying to sound non-threatening, "I was just thinking."

For good measure, she flashed a friendly smile at the woman. Donna didn't reciprocate.

"I think I'll go ahead and take one for tomorrow night. Your latest departure, please."

Donna tossed her head, irritation winning over the fear she'd decided she really hadn't been feeling after all. She stepped back up to the terminal and began tapped away again.

After a few more minutes, ticket in hand, Alyxandra walked back out the doors of the airport and headed back to the car. Passing a garbage can, she disposed of the ticket.

First, she needed to fill the car's gas tank and pick up a map. As she'd known it would, filling the car was costly, but she figured it was safe to use the credit card again. After all, the flight she'd purchased a ticket for wasn't leaving until the next night anyway, so if Mike was keeping an eye on things, he'd probably be expecting to see more activity on the card. She'd just have to make sure he wasn't disappointed.

Leaving the gas station, she stopped at the first hotel should found and rented a room using the same card she'd used to pay for her discarded plane ticket and gas. She had no intention of staying there; it was just a ruse in case Mike turned up in the middle of the day. She didn't like the idea of waking up the next night to find herself back in Riverton.

Outside the hotel, she spread her map out over the hood of the car and traced a likely path to California. There was plenty of time left before sunrise, and she intended to be further along before stopping for the day. Wichita looked like a good stopping point and she estimated she could be there by 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning. She could probably get further along, but the idea of stopping in a large city was comforting. She'd be harder to find there.

She smiled to herself, refolding the map.

--

The drive from Kansas City to Wichita was quiet and uneventful. Alyxandra tried not to think too much about what she was doing. She worried that if she over analyzed her situation, she'd lose her nerve. Driving across country by herself made her nervous. She was only nineteen – sort of – and she'd never done anything like this. At least not that she had any memory of.

During the drive, she'd tried dialing the phone numbers of both her apartment that she'd shared with her sister and her parent's house. Both calls had been answered, but the man who had answered her old number hadn't known her or Verena, and the woman who answered her parent's number had only cursed her for calling so late before hanging up. A call to information had also proven fruitless, as the operator could find no listing for Verena Ramsey or for either a Thomas or Charlotte Ramsey. She wasn't sure if she'd have been able to speak to any of them anyway. What could she say? It might have been nice to hear a familiar voice though, even if she hung up after hearing a 'hello'.

She exited the highway, turning onto Kellogg Avenue. As she'd expected she would, she arrived with night enough to travel further, but she pulled into the first hotel she saw. The East Club Inn was a welcome sight. She didn't feel tired, but she was ready to be done in the car. She regretted her choice of wardrobe; driving hundreds of miles in skin tight leather pants was not comfortable.

She pulled into the nearly empty parking lot; Monday nights were apparently not busy nights for the hospitality industry. Hopping out of the car, she stretched her muscles and worked some of the tightness out. It felt heavenly.

The desk clerk greeted Alyxandra with a pleasant smile as she entered the hotel's lobby. His pleasant smile turned appreciative as he watched her approach the front desk.

"What can I do for you?" He asked warmly.

"I need a single, non smoking please." She averted her eyes shyly and dug her wallet out of her pocket.

He placed a form for her to fill out onto the counter and she paused over it awkwardly. She felt a twinge of anxiety, because she didn't know the address of the house in Riverton. Then she rolled her eyes at herself and put down the address of her apartment. Used to be, she corrected herself. It felt like only days since she'd last been there, but she doubted her sister still lived there. It wasn't home anymore. She did have sense enough to use a false name. While she didn't expect it was necessary, there was no reason to tempt fate.

"With tax that'll be 69 even." The desk clerk grinned.

As Alyxandra opened her wallet, her mouth quirked in a half-smile and she wondered if the room rate was a joke or a coincidence. Using one of the credit cards was a temptation, but she hadn't touched the cash yet, and using the card again could ruin the trial she'd already laid out. She handed the clerk 70 and the guest form.

He programmed a key card for her and glanced at the form as he traded it for her change.

"You'll be in room 163. That's just at the end of the hall to the right. My name's Carter, and I'll be here until 7:00. If you need anything at all, just let me know."

"Thank you," she said softly, without meeting his eyes.

"Do you need help with your luggage?" He asked with a smile, sounding hopeful.

Alyxandra didn't understand why she was uncomfortable. He wasn't exactly flirting. He was being friendly and professional. Maybe his eyes lingered a little inappropriately. It was probably the damned pants. She wasn't used to having guys check her out.

Her upper gums were beginning to burn and she checked her teeth with her tongue hurriedly, self conscious. Her teeth remained as they should – no fangs.

"Don't have any," she said in a less than friendly manner and strode away.

"Enjoy your stay," he called after her.

She chewed her lower lip as she made her way down the hallway, and hoped the sudden sensitivity in her mouth didn't mean she was getting hungry.

The room was disgusting, which was surprising, because from the outside, the hotel looked pretty nice. The lobby, too, had been clean and attractive. The room, however, was filthy. The carpet was stained and threadbare. The walls were discolored, and despite being a non smoking room, it did smell faintly of old cigarettes. Damp ones at that, for the air was as heavy with humidity as it was outside. But what bothered her was the window. The curtains seemed too small. There was no way they'd block out the sun. She couldn't sleep in this room. It was with a silent prayer that she entered the bathroom, hoping there was no window there. There wasn't. She sighed, and hoped the bathtub would make a more comfortable bed than she imagined. At least she wouldn't burn, or whatever it was that vampires did in the sun.

She returned to the room's door, set the 'Do Not Disturb' sign outside the door, and dialed her friendly desk clerk to make sure she didn't receive maid service during the day. Then she set to stripping the bed of its typical hotel staple, pink and tan comforter and sheets.

She made a sound of disgust. The mattress was covered in a dark brown stain, giving the impression that someone had been executed in the middle of the bed with a shotgun. She hoped it was only water damage. A curious sniff towards the stain made her wish she hadn't bothered.

Turning out the lights on her way, she dragged the bedding into the bathroom. She closed and locked the door behind her. It was still a little early, and certainly she had time before she needed to go to bed, but the only alternative was to watch TV. Neither the Discovery Channel or crappy porn sounded interesting, so she decided to try and sleep, tired or not.

She piled the bedding into the bathtub and began to strip down to her underwear. It was bad enough she'd had to sit in the damned pants for hours in the car, she wasn't about to try sleeping in them.

Turning to the mirror above the sink, she examined her reflection. Her dark blue eyes stared back mockingly.

"Being a vampire isn't as much fun as we thought, huh?" She addressed her reflection with an apologetic shrug.

Her reflection stared back and refused to reply, which was probably a good thing.

"I miss you..." She reached out and touched the glass gently and her eyes tightened. She could feel tears forming in her eyes, and when one escaped, leaving a red trail down across her cheek, she shuddered.

She glared at her reflection. Pulling her arm back, she slammed her fist into the glass and it shattered into a spiderweb around her knuckles. A few shards fell, tinkling lightly as they landed in the sink below.

She pulled her hand away and examined the bloody gashes crisscrossing her knuckles with a confused expression. After brushing away a few tiny fragments of glass, she put her fist to her mouth and licked away the blood. When she was done, the wounds had healed.

She sighed heavily, suddenly feeling weak and weary enough to sleep. She turned off the light and climbed into the bathtub, pulling the blankets over herself, taking care that she was covered completely. The bathroom door looked as though it would cut out any light, but she felt safer taking every precaution.

The bathtub was less miserable than she feared it would be. It was hard, true, and she had to curl herself into an awkward position to fit since she was taller than the tub was long. She'd probably have a stiff neck come next evening. But it was cool, and it would likely remain so, seeing as her body didn't produce any heat to become trapped within the blankets.

She felt very alone. She was always alone, so she wasn't sure why it should feel so odd now. Still, she couldn't help but feel something was missing, like a warm body beside her. It bothered her, but the feeling was so strong, she found it comforting to image a pair of arms around herself. It was this way that she fell into a deep slumber, with thoughts of a faceless figure holding her in its embrace.

--

Mike didn't think there could be any worse alarm clock than a ringing phone or a knock at the door in the middle of the night. It was never good news. He woke quickly to the unwelcome ringing. A glance at the clock told him it was just after five in the morning.

"Hullo," he mumbled, intentionally sounding less alert than he actually was. Little mind games never really went out of habit.

"Puppy! How gracious of you to accept my call. Do you mind if I call you Puppy?"

The voice at the other end was unfamiliar and male. Checking the caller ID, he found his name displayed. Alyxandra had his phone, but this clearly was not Alyxandra.

"Who is this?" He might have been willing to think the phone had been thrown out, but few people would know his wife's pet name for him.

"A little bird," the caller said.

"I'm pretty sure making prank phone calls on a stolen phone is some sort of federal offense," he said, playing dumb.

"Oh goody, we can add it to the breaking and entering. Shall we add violation of a corpse as well?" The caller snickered. "She looks the part, but I'm not sure she'll stay asleep if I touch her."

"You lay a hand on Alyx and the feds will be the least of your worries... so why don't we just talk about you?" He kept his tone calm, keeping the hostility he felt out of his voice.

"Me? Well, now... that would be fun. I'm an interesting guy. But not the point of this call." The caller clicked his tongue. "I wonder... do you do our little girl's shopping? I would have pegged her for wearing white. I'm disappointed. Maybe I should remove the black underwear and put her in something more appropriate?"

"You can push all you want, pal. My buttons aren't that easy to find. I'm thinkin' you've got something to do with Alyx's current... condition. That's reason enough for me to let you see the sunrise. Anything else is just icing. And yeah, I figured you're a vamp... and that blood-magic messin' with my girl. So what's the game?"

"Magic? How primitive. Not the point... so relax Michael. I'm just doing my job. I need you to do me a favor."

"You better talk fast, slick... sun's about to come up there in Witchita." Mike allowed the slip as a warning. He didn't know much about Alyxandra's sire, assuming that was who the caller was. It sounded likely. Regardless, the thought of the bastard frying created a pleasant image.

"Plenty of time... I'll fly away to my nest soon enough. I have but one request. Let her go."

"I already told Alyx I wasn't going to stop her. I guess you're not so all-seeing, huh? Yeah, I know where she's going and I am letting her go, so I guess all you did was make sure I know who to blame now. Good job."

The caller's only response was a lightly amused laugh.

Mike hung up the phone and sat on the edge of the bed, breathing to clear the red haze from his vision. Even with a long day on the road ahead of him, he knew he'd never get back to sleep. He walked into the master bath and took a quick, cold, focusing shower then dressed; or 'geared up' as he thought of it. Black cargo pants, plenty of pockets for all the goodies he might need to carry. Long-sleeved black shirt with a high neck. Nylon web belt, empty now but with plenty of space to attach holsters, sheathes, and whatever other implements of destruction he might need to carry to keep his wife safe. Heavy steel-toed boots completed his 'work outfit'. After dressing, he went downstairs and started loading the Humvee for a long, potentially hazardous trek.

--

The sun beat down on little Katherine as she sat cross legged in the sand, watching the other little girl who sat across from her. Her tongue was stuck in her teeth, and her large blue eyes wore a serious expression as she worked to dig a moat around the sandcastle that suddenly stood between them.

"Verena?" Katherine asked, her voice wavering with uncertainty.

"Wait..." Her sister replied, intent on completing her digging, "Here it comes."

They looked up to watch the tide coming in. It washed over them, leaving them drenched, and when it receded, it took most of the sandcastle with it. Verena giggled.

Katherine turned back to her sister, her eyes questioning.

"Isn't it pretty?" Verena asked, and she opened her arms, indicating her work.

Katherine looked down at the sandcastle and frowned. The tide had left behind a thick, sticky red streak across the sand. The moat was full, its contents covered in a bubbly pink froth. She dipped her hands into the viscous fluid and they came away dark red.

"Does it sing to you?" Verena asked, leaning in towards her, her eyes bright with excitement.

"I don't understand."

Verena frowned disapprovingly, and her voice rang with irritation. "Maybe you should taste it."

"I don't think so." Katherine wiped her hands clean in the sand.

"I can't take care of you forever, you know."

"I know," Katherine sighed, and she felt her mouth form a pout. She didn't want to cry

The sandcastle melted away, and Katherine found herself standing in the ocean, with the waves swelling gently around her. She wasn't far from the shore. The water only reached to just above her knees.

She stared down at the water, and below the surface, she saw her sister's face staring back at her. She gasped and lunged toward her sister, she tried to grab her, pull her back to the surface, but her hands came back empty.

"It's okay Katherine, don't worry." Verena's voice was inside her head. The face smiled below the water's surface.

"I'm not Katherine anymore," her lower lip trembled.

"No... you're not," Verena's voice was filled with sadness. "Alyxandra it is, then. All the same, I have to leave you again."

"I don't want to be alone," Katherine cried. No, not Katherine... she was Alyxandra. She refused to be Katherine. Katherine was dead.

"You're not alone, silly. Our wolf will always take care of us." The face below the water grinned, and Alyxandra heard soft laughter in her head, barely a whisper.

And then her sister's face was sinking, pulling further away from her. Alyxandra slashed at the water with her hands, searching frantically. Verena was gone.

She knew she was dreaming, but the anguish she felt was no less real. She cried out, and her eyes fluttered as her sleep was disturbed. For a fraction of a second, she thought she saw the silhouette of a figure standing out against the darkness of the bathroom. She had no time to consider this before she fell back into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Mike was heading west on the I-44 when his trouble started. Alyx was heading home to California. He had expected as much, but having her confirm it just meant he could throw out a 'what if' or two from his planning. He'd taken a more southerly route than Alyx so that he could stop in and pay his respects to the elder of his tribe in St. Louis. Though he wasn't officially a part of the Big River Sept, it never hurt to be nice to nearby tribemates. One never knew when a call for help might be answered or ignored based on the perception of one Garou. It had been a few months since he'd talked to Lushenko, the Glass Walker elder, and he figured he would still get to Wichita before Alyx woke up, so he made the detour.

Unfortunately, that left him halfway between St. Louis and Wichita when the temperature gauge on his truck started to climb. While not unexpected on a long trip, the rate at which it was climbing was alarming. The sickly-sweet smell of boiling coolant that reached his nose wasn't any reassurance.

Checking his GPS, he found what he was looking for and took the exit into Saint Roberts. A quick jaunt south, and Mike stopped about a mile north of the Fort Leonard Wood army base. Being in a military vehicle meant specialty parts, and where better to get those than the military. Not just anyone could stroll into a military facility, though, so he closed his eyes and let his consciousness go. When he was at peace within himself, he opened his eyes and stared straight into their reflection in his side mirror, slipping through the gauntlet and into the spirit world.

He deftly maneuvered the net-spiders – the spirit-world's incarnation of the information superhighway – into giving him names, numbers, and the documentation he would need to get his truck running right. It seemed a lot of work for a simple repair, but he couldn't take the chance on ending up in jail for impersonating an officer. Rather, he put all the records in place to make sure he _wasn't_ impersonating anything.

Getting his sputtering truck moving again was a chore. He was starting to worry that there was going to be some serious damage to the engine, but the main gate of the base came into view. He pulled the truck into a guest parking spot and took the paperwork he had in hand (thanks to the high-end compact printer in the truck), then walked up to the guard house. The guards were pretty sharp, a young corporal approaching him while an even younger private covered with his rifle.

"Excuse me, sir," the approaching corporal said, hand on his sidearm, "this is a closed facility. Do you have business here?"

"Actually, I don't, Corporal, and that frankly pisses me off."

The soldier pulled up short at that, but didn't take his hand off of his weapon.

"I'm not sure I understand, sir. If you don't have business here…"

"I was on my way to Leavenworth and my truck lost the water pump, I think. You're here, there's a maintenance command here, so I'm here."

"Do you have orders or authorization? Better yet, how about something simple like a name?" The soldier was getting agitated. Things were starting to slide out of his control and this arrogant bastard wasn't intimidated. That didn't sit well with the MP and he was starting to lose his composure.

Mike held out his newly-minted identification card. He hoped this young soldier wasn't much of a fan of eighties cartoons. The best identity he could come up with wasn't very subtle.

"My name is Master Sergeant Conrad Hauser, with Special Counter-terrorism Group Delta. Have you ever heard of us?"

"No, sir, I haven't," the corporal said, examining the ID card.

"Good, that's exactly how it should be. This order is signed by Brigadier General Abernathy in the OP-06 at the Pentagon. In case you didn't know, those are the guys who send guys like us to war. That order says to give the holder – that's me – any help needed to complete my mission. Right now, that help is a tow truck and someone in your base maintenance command to fix my truck. You have any questions, call General Abernathy's office. The number's there at the bottom. I'll just wait over here."

Mike walked back to his truck and dropped into the left-rear passenger seat. Trying not to be obvious, he slid a shop towel from the back seat floor over the tip of the klaive sticking out from beside the driver's seat. All the orders – authentic or not – in the would wouldn't make it any easier to explain a primitive-looking silver knife almost two feet long and nearly half that in width at the hilt.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the corporal approached the truck. Mike waited a few beats, then stood to address the soldier.

"Sorry, sir. I hope you understand our security concerns. This went all the way to the garrison commander's office, and when they ran the order-number, it was flagged classified but with instructions to 'render all aid' to…"

The corporal was cut off by the sound of an M984 rolling up. The massive, eight-wheeled monster rumbled through the front gate, pulled past the parked Humvee, then backed up to the rear bumper.

"Little bit of overkill here, isn't it?" Mike said to the corporal.

"Well, General MacPherson said to get it done right now, and the Hemmit was ready to roll."

Two soldiers jumped out of the tow vehicle and walked over.

"Master Sergeant, I'm Sergeant Kimber. We got word of a broken-down Humvee, but this is not what I expected. What kind of custom rig is this? M1151?"

"That's right, Sergeant. You know your trucks," Mike told him. Luckily, he had done his own research after acquiring the truck.

"Let's see what's the problem here," Kimber said. He popped the hood and took a quick look.

"Well, Sarge, I've got good news and bad news. Where do you wanna start?"

"I'm a glutton. Hit me with the good news first, then drive the blade home."

"Well, you were right. It's the water pump. I won't know until I get it in the shop, but it doesn't look like you tore up anything else 'cept maybe a hose or two. The real good news is that it should only take two, three hours to get it off and a new one on."

"You're really settin' me up here, Kimber. That good news is _too_ good, so what's the bad?"

"I don't have a pump. I've got a guy at the 168th Support Battalion over at Riley that owes me, should be able to get it here tomorrow. Best I can do for ya." Kimber shrugged in apology.

"I've got orders to give you any help you need, Sergeant Hauser. Need me to set ya up at the visitor's quarters?"

--

As she had suspected, Alyxandra woke up the next evening to a chorus of complaints from her body. She felt as though her every muscle must be cramped, and when she pulled herself up into a sitting position, she groaned and grunted in response to the sharp pains that stung her everywhere. She pulled herself out of the bathtub and stood up, then began to work all the kinks out. Joints popped noisily as she stretched her muscles out. What she needed was a hot shower.

As she reached out to turn the water on, she paused. The bedding in which she'd sheltered under was piled in a heap in the corner of the bathroom. She didn't remember uncovering herself. She checked the door, but it was still locked, so it didn't look as though she'd been disturbed while she slept. She decided to shrug it off. Just because she didn't remember uncovering herself didn't mean she hadn't. There was a lot she didn't remember lately; what was one more thing?

The scorching hot water felt exquisite, and she lingered in the shower longer than she probably should. She wanted an early start, but she couldn't bring herself to leave the shelter and warmth of the spray. However, once her muscles no longer cried out when she stretched, she surrendered and shut the water off.

She hated having to pull on those damned leather pants again, but she had no change of clothes with her. Stopping somewhere to find a change of clothing was an alluring idea, but she didn't want to waste more time either. She dressed, toweled her hair dry, and gathered her only possessions – her keys, phone, and wallet.

Exiting through the emergency fire exit located near her room, avoiding the lobby, she made her way to the car at a near run. She felt excited, and while she didn't know why she should feel this way, it was a refreshing change to the stress she'd felt throughout most of the previous night.

She stopped at a gas station before leaving the city and worried over the fact that her cash was now nearly half gone. She'd have to resort to using the credit cards again before she reached California. She could only hope that she'd be safely and well on her way before then; too far for her werewolf to stop her.

Pulling out onto the highway, US-54 stretched out before her to the west. She had a few hundred uninterrupted miles of this highway to travel; a few uninterrupted hours of mind numbing boredom. She scanned through the stations on the radio until she found an appropriately harsh and loud noise, which passed for music. It matched her mood at least, and she cranked the volume up to an ear splitting level. It would help prevent her from thinking too much, which would in turn keep her mood light.

The hours passed, light traffic became lighter until she stopped seeing other motorists altogether, and as she crossed the border between Kansas and Oklahoma, her mood remained pleasant. Oklahoma passed by in a brief blur, and then she was crossing into Texas. The landscape around her was barren and remained, for the most part, unchanged as she traveled through it. The monotony was fairly hypnotic, and in her dazed state, she paid little attention to where she was going. She was pressing the brake pedal to the floor before she realized why she'd hit the brakes. The BMW came to a sudden bone jarring stop, throwing her against her seatbelt, and then back into her seat again. Her eyes were wide with surprise and her breath came in quick, sharp rasps.

Alyxandra looked around frantically. Someone had been standing in the road.

She pulled the car over to the shoulder and parked. Jumping out of the car, she called out, seeking the person she was sure she had seen, praying she hadn't hit them. She didn't think she had; she had felt no impact. Still, she couldn't drive away without being sure she hadn't crippled someone, or worse.

She walked down the highway for a short distance, scanning her surroundings for any sign of life. There was nothing. Tossing her head back, closing her eyes, she sighed heavily in exasperation. She'd probably imagined it. Your eyes could play tricks on you. Maybe your mind could too, if it were bored enough and desperate for something to look at besides the unchanging nothingness of night shrouded desert.

She turned around to return to the car and a startled scream caught in her throat. Off the highway to her right was a cemetery. She couldn't imagine how she might have missed seeing it. She blinked a few times, half expecting it to vanish, but it stubbornly remained.

Maybe she'd seen someone after all. If they'd gone in there, she might never find them.

The cemetery wasn't large. It was one of those quiet places you tended to find in the country, tucked away in some lonely place, well out of sight from the living. It was surrounded by a low, black fence and she paused at the gate, calling out again.

"Hello?" She waited, not really expecting a response. When none was forthcoming, she opened the gate and entered. The sight that met her eyes was grisly.

Instead of sleeping peacefully in their graves as was proper, hundreds of corpses rested against their gravestones, propped into a sitting position atop their graves. They were in various states of decay, some fresh, some nothing but bleached bone, and all manner in between. Every last one gaped at her, jaws open wide, and the ones with eyes stared blindly in her direction. Even the ones without eyes seemed to follow her as she shuffled along the dirt path running through the center of their resting place.

She was appalled by what she saw, and couldn't fathom what could have happened. The graves looked untouched and gave no explanation as to why the corpses rested above ground. They had not been robbed; she could see jewelry shining in the moonlight on some of them.

None of them moved, not even their eyes. But still, she knew they watched her. When she met their eyes, she saw only the film of death or nothing at all in the case of the ones with empty eye sockets. They saw her anyway, she knew.

A low hum began to fill the air, beginning so softly and increasing in volume so slowly that she wasn't sure when it had started. As it grew in volume, the earth itself seemed to tremble beneath her feet. It was subtle, and she couldn't be sure she felt the tremors or if they were imagined.

With an odd sense of curiosity, she realized the humming was coming from the corpses themselves. They were singing. The dead were singing. It was only then that she felt any fear. Curiosity gave over to rational panic and she backed up along the path, eyes sweeping from side to side, wide with horror. Their gruesome serenade followed her.

When she bumped into something behind her, something warm and soft, she screamed. She spun on her heals, her fists coming up defensively. Her lips peeled back over her teeth and she sucked in a breath between them, making a low hissing sound.

"Take it easy there!"

She blinked rapidly, her mind taking a moment to catch up to what her eyes were seeing. It was an older man, wearing a uniform. There was a gun, holstered at his hip. His eyes were open and gentle, concerned for her. Only a sheriff; not one of the corpses come alive to grab her.

"Didn't you hear me calling for you, ma'am? Are you all right?"

She stared back at him dumbly and felt tears fill her eyes. She blinked them back, not wanting to have to try and explain away the blood he'd see in them.

"Ma'am?" His tone sharpened, and he rested his hand on his gun. His posture wasn't threatening, but he was growing wary.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and shot a quick glance behind her. The cemetery and its ghoulish inhabitants had faded away, leaving not a trace behind to say it had ever been there. She shuddered violently.

"Can I call someone for you?"

She shook her head and tried vainly to compose herself. "No, no, please. I'm fine, really. I thought I hit a dog or something, but I couldn't find anything. And then... I was just startled, that's all."

He didn't look convinced, but he stepped aside and let her pass.

"Not a good idea to wander about out here all alone. 'Specially this time of night. You be more careful, ma'am." He tipped his hat at her and strode away to his cruiser.

After she returned to the car and pulled back onto the highway, the sheriff pulled out after her and followed her. Her nerves were already shot, so the added stress of being followed had her wavering dizzily on the verge of hysteria. At the first sign of life, a few miles down the highway, she pulled into the parking lot of an all night diner. The sheriff slowed, his cruiser crawling along as he watched her park the car. Apparently he deemed her safe, because after he passed the diner, he turned the car and started back up the highway in the direction they'd come.

She leaned her head back against the headrest and tried her damnedest not to hyperventilate. Had she been hallucinating? She had to have been. No other explanation seemed likely. Wrapping her arms around herself, she let the tears flow. There was nobody to see, nobody to pretend in front of. With no reason to remain calm, she let herself break down. It made her feel weak, but the release was also welcome. She felt miserably alone and desperately wished she had someone to talk to. Something was wrong with her, _had_ to be wrong with her. People didn't hallucinate unless they were sick or crazy.

She picked up the phone and stared at it. There was someone she could call. She moaned mournfully at the thought, nerves knotting themselves in her gut. She flipped the phone open, held the green talk button down, and waited for the directory to pop up. Her name was highlighted at the top of the list and she pressed the button again, dialing the number. Pressing the phone to her ear, she held her breath – merely stopped breathing really – and waited.

"Hello?" Mike's voice answered slowly, groggy sounding as though he'd been sleeping. Given the time, she figured he probably had been.

She opened her mouth to speak, but had no idea what she might say. She snapped it shut again and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Alyx?" He asked, more alert.

She pulled the phone away from her ear and jabbed the red button, then folded the phone. It snapped shut with a loud click, causing her to flinch. Tossing the phone into the passenger seat, she crossed her arms over her chest and concentrated on breathing.

After a few minutes, the phone rang.

Turning to regard the phone again, she sucked her lower lip into her mouth and debated whether or not to pick it up again. She did; picking it up didn't mean she had to answer. The screen confirmed the obvious, of course, Mike returning her call. With gritted teeth, she accepted the call.

"Alyx, what's wrong?" He spoke into the phone before she could speak, but his voice was calm and it sounded soothing and familiar. She hiccuped noisily into the phone and pressed her lips firmly together to avoid betraying herself further.

She could hear him moving around at the other end of the line. There was a shuffling sound, and then something creaked. He was probably returning to bed.

"Babe?" He prompted her again, patient as ever. It irritated her.

"Give me a minute," she snapped. She wasn't sure where the anger had come from, but it felt better than terror, so she greeted the new emotion with open arms.

The other end of the phone stayed silent, save for the sound of Mike's breathing. She concentrated on the sound as she attempted to gather her thoughts. It was more difficult than it should have been. Her thoughts were scattered and she was having trouble latching on to one. As soon as she thought she knew what to say, it would slip away again and she'd find herself unable to speak.

"Are you okay?" He asked, breaking the relative silence.

"Yes," she answered automatically, but it wasn't exactly the response she wanted to give him.

"No," she corrected herself. "I don't know. Something weird happened. I think there's something wrong with me."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"It'll sound stupid," she muttered, the words barely audible, even to her own ears. "I saw something. I think I was hallucinating. That can't be normal, right? I was just driving along, and... okay, there goes reality. Let's go crazy and start seeing dead bodies everywhere. That's so much more fun, right? But that's not enough, they have to start humming at me because dead bodies aren't weird enough. Maybe if I'd stuck around longer they'd have jumped up and started dancing too."

"Okay," he stretched the word out and was silent a moment before he continued, "You're going to have to help me out here. I could argue that you're a dead body. What exactly did you see?"

She'd nearly been shouting into the phone by the end of her little rant, and now she snapped her mouth shut and glared at the phone in her hand before putting it back to her ear.

"I. Am. Not. _Dead_!" She growled into the phone. She had the ridiculous urge to drum her heals against the floor. To make her angrier, she could hear him chuckling at the other end.

"I'm sorry hun, but you know what I mean. Not like that. I'm not really awake here. I'm trying, but you're going to have to explain what happened." He said with exasperation.

She didn't think he sounded apologetic, but while being called dead irritated the hell out of her, it was hardly the most pressing issue at hand. She explained what had happened, leaving nothing out, but not embellishing anything either. When her tale was finished she started to laugh. The entire thing was ridiculous. She was still worried by the fact that she'd seen something she ought not to have seen, but suddenly the memory of all those corpses sitting by their graves was no longer a terrible image to her.

"I told you it was stupid," she giggled into the phone, then snickered. "Maybe I'm going crazy, but at least I'm only seeing corpses. Could have been a lot worse. Could have been bugs and monkeys."

"Monkeys?"

"They're a little creepy."

"Okay," he said, then paused a moment to think. "I don't know what to tell you, babe... we're part of a big, supernatural world, and weird stuff does happen. I'll tell ya, I'm not a fan, because this sounds like it could be serious, but you were there, I wasn't. I'd be happy for you to wait there for me, or turn around and come home. But what do _you_ want to do?"

"That sounds kind of lame."

He laughed.

"I think I'm OK. I need to keep going." She wasn't about to turn around and go back.

"Then that's what you should do."

She was surprised that he didn't try to talk her into going back. It seemed too easy. But it wasn't what she was worried about.

"Am I going crazy?" Her voice wavered, worried that he might say yes.

"I think that sometimes you see things a little differently from most people. That's all."

"That sounds like a cowardly way of avoiding the question," she accused, but her voice was lighter. Her mood wavered back and forth faster than she could recognize her emotions. For the moment, at least, she felt better. Still, the consideration that she might be losing her mind remained a nagging concern.

"Maybe," he admitted. She could imagine he was smiling when he said it.

"I have to go," she felt more than ready for the night to be over. It was early still, but she doubted she had the endurance to go much further. She wanted to find a hotel and stop, try to relax, maybe watch some bad television and let her mind go deliciously numb.

"All right. I love you." He whispered the last few words and sounded earnest.

"Okay." She said simply and snapped the phone shut. She frowned at it for a moment before tossing it aside.

With a loud, frustrated grunt, she pulled the car back out onto the highway and continued on her way. She didn't want to stop where she was – she hadn't forgotten the sheriff – so she drove on figuring she'd be able to find a hotel at the next town. An hour later she reached Amarillo, Texas.

--

Alyxandra knew she might be forming a habit, but as before, she stopped at the first hotel she saw. This time it happened to appear to be a very nice hotel. It was unlikely she'd have the cash on hand to cover the room rate, but she also figured her ruse was ruined anyway. She didn't think Mike would believe she were on an airplane to California now; not after that phone call. A charge on one of the credit cards wouldn't give anything away now, except for her location. She did start to weight the odds of him catching up to her quickly enough to stop her going further, but stopped herself. Sure, going on to a cheaper hotel would allow her to use cash, but she'd run out of that when she next put gas in the car anyway. And that was something she'd be needing to do soon. Besides, she was worn out and couldn't bring herself to worry about anything else just then.

After checking in, and discovering nothing but their 'deluxe' rooms were still available as there was something going on in town, the desk clerk directed her to the 10th floor. She had the desk clerk place the nearly 200 charge on one of the credit cards that she'd not yet used. She had been afraid that they might have been canceled or reported stolen, but the charge went through without incident.

Turning away from the front desk, she found a woman staring at her with open curiosity. The moment Alyxandra set eyes on her, a chill crept up her spine and stopped her dead in her tracks.

The woman was slight of frame, but well endowed. Short red hair framed a heart shaped face complete with a dimple in her left cheek. She was dressed daringly in a very tight fitting, very short red dress that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her bright green eyes regarded Alyxandra for a few moments as she tapped a lacquered fingernail against her dark red lips. She turned her eyes away long enough to speak a few words to the man decorating her arm. He seemed disappointed by what he heard, but after a grin and pat on his rear from the woman, he left with a satisfied expression. Then she turned her attention back to Alyxandra.

"Howdy," the woman placed her hands on her hips and addressed Alyxandra with a friendly smile. "Just passing on through, or y'all staying awhile?"

"Passing through," Alyxandra replied quietly, trying not to stare rudely. The redhead was pale, which made her automatically think 'vampire', but she felt ridiculous for jumping to the conclusion. Some people were pale. Something else seemed off about the woman though, and she wasn't sure at first what it was.

"Honey, I'm not going to bite you. You look ten types of terrified," she grinned. "The name's Vivi. What's your name sweet girl?"

Alyxandra laughed nervously, and considered giving the woman a false name. But her smile was so genuine and friendly she couldn't bring herself to lie.

"Alyxandra," she said in the same quiet tone, unsure of herself or the woman she spoke to. And then, as she took a deep, calming breath, it clicked. The other woman wasn't breathing.

Vivi clucked her tongue and shook her head, her full lips forming a disapproving frown.

"What's got you so scared, honey? You, ah... you know what I am, right?"

Alyxandra nodded, a little more curtly than she meant to.

"I don't mean to be rude," she told Vivi. "I've just had a really bad few days. Or nights. Or... you know."

"Well," Vivi stepped up close to Alyxandra and linked arms with her, ignoring how rigid she suddenly became at the unexpected contact. "We don't often get Kindred passing through Amarillo these days, so you'll have to forgive a girl for being a little forward. Why don't you join me for a drink and we can visit for a spell."

Alyxandra chose to follow the other woman rather than being dragged along. Vivi led her to a smoky, poorly lit bar located just off of the atrium. There were few people to occupy the single bartender this time of night, or more accurately, early in the morning. Vivi held up two fingers to the bartender, who nodded, then led Alyxandra to a corner table. She sat across from Alyxandra, placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands.

"What's your story, honey?" She asked.

Alyxandra shook her head and smiled nervously. Confiding in a stranger was tempting. She felt very alone and was tired of the constant state of confusion she'd been in for the past few days. But everything she could think to say to the woman sounded so ridiculous when tested out in her head.

"Okay, I'll go first." Vivi started, but paused when the bartender arrived with two glasses of wine. She gave him a pat on his rear as she'd done with the other man and he winked at her before returning to his customers at the bar.

She turned back to Alyxandra and gestured to herself. "I'm a whore. Always have been. It was necessary when I was a girl. Afterwards, well... it was just convenient. The sex isn't so much fun anymore, but it makes getting your meals easy. I've pretty much made this place my home, so on the rare occasion someone like us passes through, I take some interest in them. There are very few of us in the area, not that keeps a place anyway. Now and then some meet up from Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque, but not too often. It's nice. Gets a little dull sometimes."

"You live here, at the hotel? How do you keep out of the sun when you sleep during the day?" Alyxandra's question seemed to surprise the other woman and they found themselves staring at each other for a moment. Vivi laughed richly and took a sip of her wine while placing a cold hand atop one of Alyxandra's clenched fists. Alyxandra uncurled her fingers, not having realized she'd balled her hands up. "Pathetic, I know. I have no idea what I'm doing."

"It's nothing, honey. Just close the curtains, you'll be fine. This place used to be owned by one of ours. You picked the right place to stay the day." Vivi pursed her lips, "Your sire run out on you?"

"Who? Oh..." Alyxandra leaned back into her chair. "I don't know. I can't remember anything about that. That's my problem, really. I don't remember anything."

Vivi clucked her tongue again and squeezed Alyxandra's hand. "My own sire wasn't much better, but at least she made sure I knew what I was doing before she took off. Still comes around now and then. Likes to try and bully her girls. But that was wrong to walk away. It shouldn't be like that."

"I doubt it was like that. I just don't remember. Feel stupid saying I have amnesia, but I don't know what else to call it. Apparently I've been a vampire for the last dozen or so years, so I have to imagine I knew what I was doing. But now... the last thing I remember, my heart was still beating. I might as well have been ditched for as lost as I am now."

"Well now, that sounds like an interesting story." Vivi leaned forward. "How did you manage to go and forget?"

"Hell if I know. I was walking around all alive and stuff, and then suddenly it's years later and I'm waking up in a different part of the country in some strange place; with some strange _guy_. I think he kidnapped me. I don't know... maybe he did. He's nuts though, so when got the chance, I took off. Now I think he's following me."

"Sure he's nuts? What'd he do? Maybe you should have stayed there. He might have been able to fill you in. You sure he wasn't your sire?"

Alyxandra laughed, "God no. He's not even a vampire. Pretty sure he's nut though. He kept trying to convince me we were _married_. I don't think he knew who turned me. He said he thought someone was messing with my head, which is probably true. Probably _him_."

"You've lost me. If he wasn't Kindred, was he a ghoul? Maybe he belonged to you."

"No, no... I should have said. He's a werewolf. Silly, right? But he turned all big and furry, just to prove it. Damn, they're big! Have you ever seen one?" Alyxandra giggled, remembering the beast that Mike had turned into, and how scared she'd been.

Vivi stared at her, eyes wide.

"What?" Alyxandra frowned.

"There's a Garou following you?"

"I think so. I mean... I kind of took off in his car. He's being awfully nice about the whole thing, which seems a little fishy. He didn't say he was following me, but it makes sense. I'm just hoping I make it to California before he catches up."

"He's coming here? Here?" Vivi whispered in a rush, her expression one of disbelief.

"Is that bad?" Alyxandra didn't understand why the other woman was so upset.

"You lead a freaking werewolf here and you want to know if that's _bad_? There's nothing about them that isn't _bad_! Werewolf plus vampire equals dead freaking vampire. Really dead. Dust dead. What's wrong with you?"

Alyxandra blinked rapidly a few times. "I'm sorry, I... I don't understand. He seems like a perfectly nice guy. He didn't try to hurt me or anything. I don't think there's any reason to be afraid of him. He just wants to take me back home with him. Well, I am going home. It just happens to be in the opposite direction."

"No, honey. Something ain't right. Garou kill Kindred. They think we have worms or something. I'm not going to pretend to understand the things. I don't want to understand them. I just know they're bad news, and nobody wants one passing through here. If you've really got one after you, then you're in some serious trouble."

Alyxandra didn't know what to say. She wasn't afraid of the man. She just didn't want to be kept from going home. She shook her head, refusing to believe what the woman was saying could be true.

"I wish I could help you, but I can't get involved in anything like this. It's too dangerous." Vivi took a long drink of her wine, draining the glass.

Alyxandra picked up her own, as of yet untouched glass of wine and stared into it a moment before taking a hesitant sip. She gagged and set the glass back down. Her stomach churned, rejecting the fluid.

"You'll be all right. Not all of us can handle food and drink anymore. Reacquired taste." Vivi gave Alyxandra a sad smile. "I'm sorry I can't help you. Good luck honey."

Sighing, more frustrated and confused than ever, Alyxandra excused herself and made her way back over towards the front desk to find the elevator up to her floor. She had little doubt she'd be able to find sleep as soon as she could lay her head down. She was exhausted.

Her room was no less impressive than the hotel's atrium. There were four rooms in all to the suite. Upon entering, there was a formal sitting area with kitchenette. The room featured a large leather sofa and flat screen television, the latter something she'd only seen once before, that being at her werewolf's home back in Riverton. The attached bathroom was nothing unexpected, and was typical of any hotel bathroom. The sitting area had double doors which led to the bedroom. This room had a second bathroom, which seemed unnecessary. It was a luxuriously decorated suite. And while, regardless of Vivi's claims, Alyxandra didn't feel safe sleeping in the inviting king sized bed due to the window which nearly filled one wall of the room, the sitting area was happily devoid of any windows at all. The leather sofa would make a very nice bed, especially after her most recent choice of resting places. After stripping the bed of blanket and pillow, she stuffed a couple of bath towels under the double doors separating the rooms, careful to make sure no light would leak through beneath them. She stretched out on the sofa and snuggled into the blanket, expecting sleep to come as soon as she shut her eyes.

She sighed.

What was he doing? She wondered where Mike was at that moment. Was he just then barreling down the highway, coming to reclaim her? It was hard to even guess. He might not even be coming after her at all. She wasn't sure she could believe that. Not that she could imagine she was worth chasing, but...

"Why can't I stop thinking about him?" She drummed her heals against the couch and made a frustrated noise in her throat.

She went over what Vivi had said about werewolves. None of it made sense. He really had had every opportunity to hurt her if that had been his intention. She seriously doubted she could have done much to prevent him from doing what he wished. He was stronger than her. Besides, he'd been so gentle and patient. Nuts, perhaps, but even so, he'd seemed genuine in his feelings towards her. But then, maybe that was all it was. Maybe he was just nuts. And maybe Vivi was just wrong. And there was her own sanity to consider. She was seriously worried about herself. Certainly she wasn't insane, but all this stress couldn't be healthy.

She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to imagine a warm body sleeping beside her, arms wrapped protectively around her, and not have to feel or think for a few hours. Instead, she pulled the blanket back down and sat up.

Her cellphone was ringing – Mike's phone. She had left it in the bedroom and she stared at the double doors, counting the number of times the phone rang. It was still dark; she could get the phone. There could only be one person calling her, and she had plenty of questions for him. Five, six, seven times the phone rang and then it went silent. She sighed and lay her head back down. Recreating her fantasy, she drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Mike dragged his feet in the morning, trying to find a way to stay out of the way of the mechanics and not get himself caught as an impostor. He made his way to the NCO Club for a big hearty breakfast, and after that he wandered the base. He swung into the base PX, grabbing a new jacket just because he liked the look of the black leather. He started toward the maintenance motor pool, figuring he'd killed about as much time as he could.

It was just past noon when he walked into the bay and found his truck sitting in pieces. Suppressing the urge to growl, he walked over to the motor sergeant's office.

"Don't start with me," said the gruff man behind the desk. His name tab read 'Draudy.' He obviously met the Army's fitness standards, but he somehow managed to look hefty sitting there in his coveralls. "You've got a brand-new model of truck, and they changed the coolant systems. All I have around here is old beat-up training trucks, so all I've got are old parts."

"How long," Mike said, trying to keep his cool.

Just then the phone rang on the sergeant's desk.

"Yeah… uh huh… OK, good, get it here. Good news, Master Sergeant," the mechanic said, hanging up, "your water pump is on a Black Hawk from Riley and is about twenty minutes out. Should be about two hours after that and we'll have everything put back together for you."

"Great, so what do I do for two and a half hours?"

"Well, I hear one of the training companies is over at the NATO weapons range. Why don't you go shoot something that isn't one of my grease monkeys?"

Sgt. Draudy called over one of his junior mechanics and sent him out to babysit the VIP.

--

Mike spent the next two hours playing soldier, firing everything from the standard M-16 rifle to the always-amusing M203 grenade launcher. He didn't let anyone know he had his own Glock 29 in the small of his back. All the inexperienced not-quite-soldiers might get nervous around an 'uncontrolled' weapon.

His mechanic-driver let him know it was time to head back. They drove past more trainees, including a group of choking, coughing, crying soldiers coming out of the tear-gas chamber. He also saw more than one converted truck hauling soldiers place to place. He thought of Alyx, and the overall vampire mentality of humans being herd-animals, and he figured she would have thought it was hilarious to see men and women in _actual_ cattle trucks.

Good to his word, Sgt. Draudy was just wrapping up the repairs, latching the hood down personally.

"Ready to go, Sarge. You follow me into my office and sign a work order or two for me, and you'll be on your way."

Mike followed him into the office and filled out what he needed to. Just after three that afternoon, he started the truck and backed out the door. He was driving off already, so he didn't see Sgt. Draudy trying to flag him down with his copy of the work order.

"Damn it! Richards!" he yelled at one of his mechanics. "Get on the horn and find out where we send Sergeant Hauser's paperwork." He said, handing over the form.

"Conrad S. Hauser?" the mechanic said, looking at the form. "Funny."

"What?"

"That guy's name… it's the same as Duke. You know, Duke, from G.I. Joe?"

Draudy started swearing again, loud and long.

--

Opening her eyes, Alyxandra greeted Wednesday evening with the unpleasant urge to return to unconsciousness. The ache in her upper gums had returned with a vengeance. Less annoying, but no less disturbing, her skin felt as though it were too tight. She felt dry.

Gathering her things from the bedroom, she stuffed her wallet and keys back into the pockets of her accursed pair of pants. She'd slept in the things, too worn out to undress. Finding a change of clothes was becoming a necessity. She picked up the phone eagerly, remembering the call she'd been too afraid to answer that morning. The phone's display alerted her to the missed call, but didn't say who had called. She flipped the phone open to see if pushing buttons would make it more forthcoming. She hit the green button, and there it was... it wasn't Mike. It was his phone, after all. The caller had probably been trying to reach him, though the hour had been rather early. Regardless, she was disappointed. In turn, her disappointment aggravated her. She glared at the phone for a moment, then stuffed that in her pocket as well.

Once outside in the fresh, baking hot night air of summer, she took a deep breath and forced herself to smile. She was miserable. A shower might have helped, but she vowed that the next time she pulled those leather pants off, they were staying off for good.

She spread her map out over the hood of the car and planned the next leg of her unwelcome adventure. Flagstaff, Arizona looked like a good point, being about halfway between Amarillo and her destination of Ventura, California. Or maybe Los Angeles... it didn't matter. One wasn't far from the other. She could worry more about that later.

Once again, the highway stretched before her.

A gas station! Two hours into her evening, and she'd completely forgotten about filling the gas tank. She'd intended to top off the tank before leaving Amarillo, but it had slipped her mind. The needle was still nearly a quarter tank away from empty, but Alyxandra felt like she were in the middle of nowhere, and she didn't cherish the thought of running out of gas and becoming stranded out here. She wasn't sure the trunk would protect her fully from the sun if she were left with no choice but to seek refuge there, and even if it turned out safe, spending the day locked in a baking hot vehicle wasn't any more appealing.

She pulled the car into the driveway and pulled up beside one of the pumps. Her former instincts may have led her to stop at one of the pumps facing the highway, where she'd have been afforded better, safer, brighter lighting, and where she'd have been in plainer sight of the cashier inside the convenience store. Now her instincts led her to the back of the store, where it was darker and more private. She felt safer out of sight.

She stepped out of the car and selected a credit card, one she hadn't used thus far, and swiped it through the reader. Holding her breath, she waited for it to be declined. She wasn't sure what she'd do if she found herself without the available funds. Who could she call for help? Mike was only a phone call away, but then, if the cards gave out, that could only mean it was he who had reported them stolen and cut her off. It was a little surprising that he hadn't done just that. If he were following her, coming after her, wouldn't he want to slow her down? Leaving her without money would certainly leave her with few options.

It wasn't true. She could think of a few ways to get by if she found herself without a source of cash. Those options weren't ideal though, and frankly, they made her feel sick to consider them.

The pump beeped, and the screen prompted her to begin pumping.

Resting against the car, and for the moment relieved of stress, she watched the numbers at the pump tick away as she pumped the gas, the dollar amount whizzing by as the gallons ticked away slowly. She closed her eyes and sighed. She didn't know what she was doing. Thinking about her situation only made matters worse. The helpless feeling she had been growing so used to was beginning to chafe.

Another car pulled into the lot and stopped at the pump across from her, neatly blocking her from view of the cashier's window. Of course, it was doubtful the cashier inside the store was watching anyway. Alyxandra glanced over at the motorist as he stepped out of his old, beat up boat of a car before turning her attention back to the pump.

After a moment, she heard a footstep behind her and a metallic click. If the motorist wanted directions, he was going to be disappointed; she barely knew where she was. She turned around to face him.

He stepped up to her quickly, and much closer than appropriate for a stranger. She glanced down and saw the gun in his hand and her eyes widened in alarm. She looked back up to meet her assailant's eyes.

He looked a little older than her, though that only meant he looked to be about twenty or so. His face was pockmarked and thin, his hair dark and unwashed. He was clad in dark clothes, shabby and stained. He smelled wrong.

"Gimme your wallet," he demanded, jerking the gun in his fist.

"OK, sure." She dug her hand into her pocket. These pockets were never meant to hold anything, and it took some effort to make use of them.

"Come on, come on, hurry up." The gun brushed against her as he jerked it nervously back and forth. She backed away a step and pressed herself against the BMW as she pulled the wallet out. He followed her movements reflexively, cornering her.

She felt herself shaking. That was a normal response, surely... shaking with fear. But she heard someone laughing and with a sharp shock, she realized it was her. It was disconcerting. She looked on in horror as she felt herself grin and push the wallet back down into her pocket.

"Bitch, don't be stupid. Gimme the money." He pushed the barrel of the gun into her side.

"I've been shot before. Kind of tickled," she giggled.

His face turned an interesting shade of red.

"Have you ever shot anyone before? I have... more fun that I thought it would be. A little messy, but that's alright. He didn't want to play the same games I wanted to play and I didn't want him running off before I could start cutting. Knives are so much more fun. We had lots of fun together."

His face contorted with the sort of rage developed by an unbalanced mind, damaged by too much drug use and alcohol abuse. He kept the gun pressed into her side and groped at her pocket with the other, clumsily trying to rip the wallet out.

She studied his face and smiled, canines exposed, long and sharp. She licked her lips and growled just a little, then giggled again.

He looked her in the face as he jerked the wallet from her pants, his face still angry. Her appearance didn't disturb him. Sane people didn't look upon someone with fangs and see a vampire. They saw someone with dental enhancements or fake teeth. He may or may not have been sane, but he wasn't crazy enough to see her for what she was.

He made a move to leave her, and she grabbed her wallet in his hand and held on to it, his own fist still tightly clutching it. He attempted to jerk it from her grasp, but it didn't budge.

"Bitch, I'm warning you."

"First things first," she spat angrily. "Can't go out of order. Can't _cheat_. Don't you know the rules?"

She rapped her knuckles against his forehead. His eyes bulged and his face lost some color.

Clawing at her own face, she shuddered. She took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She smiled companionably.

"You fucking crazy, lady?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" She ran her tongue over one of her canines. "It's kind of rude, don't you think? I mean, really... usually when people ask me that, I think they really want to ask me if I'm stupid. But they think _that_ would be rude. I think you're the one with questionable mental facilities. You're the one pointing guns at people. Who's crazy? The kitten who plays with the mouse, or the kitten that bites the Doberman?"

He stared at her, and she sighed before her smile returned.

"I'm going to hurt you," she said cheerfully.

The gun clicked. She looked down curiously, then back up at the thief, slightly confused. _Click, click, click_.

"No bullets? That's got to be embarrassing. Why bother pulling the trigger if it's not loaded?" Alyxandra sounded sincerely sympathetic, even a little disappointed. She patted him on the shoulder.

The young man's face had gone white. He made a last attempt to wrench the wallet away, and though Alyxandra had all but forgotten about it, she held on. He gave up and let go, then began to turn away.

Her hand darted out and up, then her fingers were around his throat, expertly squeezing in a precise way. His eyes bulged as she crushed his windpipe. He clawed at her hand and whipped at her with the gun while he struggled for breath. After a few long moments he sunk down onto his knees, and she watched him with a lazy expression. She tucked the wallet back into her pocket and when he lost his grip on the gun and it clattered to the ground at her feet, she stepped aside, releasing her grip on his throat.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "but I'm sure you understand. We're such good friends now, after all. But you see, I've been getting a little hungry. It's just bad timing and all. But I'll tell you what..."

She crouched down so they were at eye level. She pursed her lips as she looked him over. He was turning a pleasant shade of purple.

"If you can scream, I won't kill you."

She waited.

His eyes were beginning to roll back into his head. His arms went limp at his side and jerked slightly with the effort he put forth to draw in that precious breath.

She placed a finger gently under his chin and lifted his face, exposing his throat. She bent forward and touched her lips softly to the side of his neck and scraped her teeth carefully against his skin, using just enough pressure to avoid drawing blood.

Her companion was just managing to draw in a thin, agonizing breath when she struck, sinking her fangs into his throat. His blood rushed into her mouth, flowing over her tongue and down her throat. She swallowed greedily, eagerly, taking her fill. Once the blood slowed to a thin trickle into her mouth and then stop flowing altogether, she felt warmly satisfied. She hadn't truly been all that hungry yet, and she wasn't used to feeding to such excess. It felt pleasant.

Wiping her mouth delicately to ensure no blood marred her face, she stood up. She dragged the corpse to the back of her car, unlocked the trunk, and lifted the body up. It wasn't very heavy; the man had been nothing but skin and bones. Still, she grunted from the strain. She pushed him into the cavity and slammed the trunk closed. Brushing her hands together, a content smile playing on her lips, she danced back to the side of the car and replaced the hose to the gas pump. The discarded gun she picked up, and after sliding into the car, she locked it in the glove compartment.

She slipped back out of the car and went to the dead man's newly abandoned vehicle. He'd conveniently left the keys in the ignition for her, and she moved the car around to the side of the convenient store where it was out of sight and would look less suspicious. Then she made her way into the convenience store itself.

"Excuse me," she leaned over the counter, giving the pimply faced cashier a good look at the resources God had given her. It wasn't much, but they grabbed the kid's attention. He grinned away, but didn't say a thing.

Sighing heavily, which delighted the cashier because it caused Alyxandra's chest to heave slightly, she took a quick glance around for what she was looking for.

"Do you have security cameras outside? Some jerk rear ended me out there, then drove off before I could say anything to him."

"Oh, really?" The kid's eyes flicked up to her face, then returned to his preferred view. Maybe he thought if he concentrated hard enough, they'd get bigger. "Uh... that's too bad. We have cameras, but... ah... there's no tape recording anything. What'd the guy look like? Maybe I've seen him."

"Never mind," Alyxandra smiled cheerfully and nearly bounced her way back outside. She was humming as she slid back into the car and pulled back out onto the highway.

She was several miles down the road before she started to hyperventilate. She slammed on the brakes, then pulled the car over. Without hesitating, she grabbed for her phone. She'd call Mike. He'd know what to do.

She snapped the phone closed again and sat it back down in the cup holder. She had to get out of here first. If the police came, she'd be in trouble. Would they come so quickly? There had been no witnesses. She didn't think any sign of struggle had been left behind. But she didn't know...

"I killed somebody." She clutched at her throat, her fingernails digging into her flesh. "I killed somebody! Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God."

The car was facing the wrong direction, headed back towards Amarillo. She wasn't sure she was in any state to be driving, but she had little choice. She had to get away. She pulled the car back onto the highway and turned around. It was difficult not to either slow or speed by the gas station once it came into view again. She managed though. The dead man's car was where she had parked it. There were no other cars in the lot. Apparently the cashier didn't drive.

She remembered seeing a sign for Santa Rosa and wasn't far away. She'd stop there and call Mike. Time seemed to fly by at an unnatural pace, and before she knew it she was in the outskirts of the city. She exited the highway at the first opportunity given. She pulled over again and reached for the phone.

With a silent prayer, she selected the number she wanted and the phone dialed. Her call was picked up almost immediately.

"Alyx?"

"Yes. I need help. Oh my God, I need help. I don't know what to do. I did something really bad. It wasn't me, but it was me," she spoke quickly, everything coming out in a confused rush. "This guy tried to rob me and I kind of just... I'm going to prison forever."

"Calm down... there was a guy robbing you. What happened, babe?"

"I'm afraid to tell you. I'm sorry to dump this on you. I didn't know who else to call."

"That's fine, that's exactly what you should do." Mike spoke in a soothing voice. "But I need you to take a deep breath and try to tell me what happened."

"I think he's dead," she lied. She knew he was dead, but was afraid to admit her guilt so completely.

"OK... was it a fight or did you... drink?"

"Well... he threatened me with a gun and I just kind of lost it. I went freaking insane on the guy. It wasn't _me_. And I was saying things that didn't make any sense. And then... yeah. I kind of... drank?" She felt awkward talking about feeding.

"He was threatening you. Don't worry about what happened, we'll deal with that. You're not going to jail though, OK? Where's the... where is he now?"

"I stuck him in the trunk. I don't think anybody saw. The guy at the gas station told me they don't record anything on their security cameras."

"Good, that's fine. If you... drained him... then there's no problem with blood. I need you to stop somewhere - somewhere where there's an outside ice box - and buy about 10 bags. Pack 'em down around him. Then find a hotel. I'm only a few hours behind you, so it should be fine until I get there."

"You're following me? I knew you were following me! How do you know where I am? It was the credit cards, wasn't it?"

"No... I didn't even know you were using... look, I'm trying to make sure you're safe. If I'd wanted you to stop, you wouldn't have made it halfway across Missouri. I'm on the way, but I'm on the way to help you, not stop you. Okay?"

"Okay," Alyxandra ran her fingers through her hair and looked around. "I'm in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. I took exit 275 West, I think, off the I-40 on Will Rogers Drive. There's a La Quinta up the road. I'll stop there."

"Okay, good. I'll be there soon. It'll be okay. All right?"

Alyxandra nodded into the phone, "Okay, okay... I'll wait for you."

She ended the call before he could tell her he loved her again. She didn't want to hear it right now.

Not wanting to have to search out an ice box with outdoor access, she pulled into the lot of a grocery store. After dodging a few of the chatty cashier's questions, thinking the ice must mean there was a party in the works, Alyxandra returned to the car and packed the bags around the corpse.

She felt nervous about leaving the car for any extended period of time, so once she parked into the hotel's lot, she waited in the car. It was a long wait. Every time someone pulled into the driveway, she would perk up, only to be disappointed. Eventually, she turned the stereo on, cranked up the volume, and closed her eyes. She couldn't sleep, but at least this way she would be forced to ignore traffic. Time would still pass slowly, but with less frustration.

--

When the car vibrated around her, her eyes flashed open. Driving past her and pulling into a spot a few spaces down was the monster of a vehicle she'd seen in Mike's garage. And there he was, her werewolf, sitting behind the wheel.

She stayed seated in the car and watched him as he stepped down from the beast and moved quickly to her door, his face anxious. When he tried her door, she flinched. They stared at one another through the darkened window for a moment before she took a deep breath and opened her door. He stepped aside while she left the safety of the BMW and as soon as she shut the door behind her, he wrapped his arms around her.

The gesture startled her and she tensed reflexively. He kept the embrace brief and friendly. His face betrayed that he wanted much more, and she was grateful for his restraint.

"Have you checked in?" He asked, voice soft, as if he were afraid of scaring her off again.

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she told him, her expression pained, and not for having neglected securing a room.

His hand reached for her face, and though she didn't flinch away this time, he withdrew his hand and shrugged instead, offering a half-grin. "It's not a thing. Let's go ahead and get settled in before we take care of our friend." He motioned towards the hotel with a jerk of his head.

"Should we leave it?" Alyxandra gave a worried glance towards the trunk.

"He's not going anywhere. It'll be fine for a few minutes."

She nodded and fell into step beside him. When she stepped too close, her hand brushed his, and he curled his fingers around hers. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She looked down at their hands, her face blank. She neither said anything nor did she try to pull her hand away.

When he opened the front door of the hotel, he let her hand drop, and appeared surprised that they'd been holding hands at all, as though he hadn't noticed until releasing his hold on her. As he held the door and she passed him, he brushed his hand lightly over her shoulder. She felt the urge to laugh, and a smile did pull at the corners of her mouth. He hadn't lost his habit of touching her. She couldn't bring herself to be bothered by it just then.

"Can I help you," asked the desk clerk. She smiled up at Mike from behind the front desk and looked as though she appreciated what she saw. Alyxandra, unnoticed, rolled her eyes. She didn't know what was with hotel desk clerks enjoying getting an eyeful of their guests.

Mike held up two fingers, "Double please, non smoking." He placed a debit card on the counter and picked up a pen to fill in the check-in sheet that the clerk placed before him.

"What brings you to Santa Rosa," the clerk took a look at his debit card, "Mr. Karrde?"

Alyxandra didn't hear Mike's response, but the desk clerk, Bonnie, or so her name tag claimed, giggled in response. She had to admit to herself that he was attractive. He was six feet of powerfully built masculinity, yet he wasn't monstrously muscled, which Alyxandra would have found unappealing. She wondered if it was his body, or his gentle blue eyes that attracted the girl.

"I hope you and your... little sister have a good night." Bonnie handed a key card over to Mike and fed him an overly friendly smile.

Alyxandra snorted. The desk clerk looked disappointed; Mike's attention was focused far more on Alyxandra than on her.

"If you need anything, just let me know. I'll be here all night." Bonnie made a final attempt at charming Mike, who continued to pay little attention to her, and seemed not to even be aware that he was being flirted with.

Alyxandra was annoyed. He might not actually be her husband, but as long as he was going to pretend to be, then this other woman shouldn't be attempting to attract his eye. She smiled sweetly at Bonnie and curled the fingers of her right hand down, bringing the heel of her hand upwards. When she took a step closer to the other woman, her smile turning feral, Mike's arm shot out and he grasped her forearm. She gasped in shock, and turned to look at him, her eyes wide. He gave her a withering look before he let go. She stood there staring at him until he placed a hand on her back and guided her down the hallway to their room.

She sat down on one of the beds and pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"I am not a nice person," she whispered, looking at Mike. "How did you know?"

"That you were going to do something stupid?" He asked harshly. He stood against the door, resting his head against the frame. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault. How did I know? I know _you_, Alyx."

"I was going to hurt her."

"I know," he laughed humorlessly, "What were you going to do? I could see you getting agitated, but I couldn't figure out why."

"I was mad because she was flirting with you. I don't _care_. I don't even know you! But I was going to shove her nose into her brain and kill her anyway. What the hell is wrong with me?"

"You're stressed," he said quietly, and crossed the room to sit beside her on the bed. His eyes were warmer, full of concern.

"Stress doesn't usually make me want to commit murder. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Hun..."

"No!" She growled at him, "It wasn't _me_. I'm not like that. It's like... it's like someone is shoving me aside and taking over. The first time it was almost like I was dreaming. I was in my body, but I wasn't driving. I had two sets of emotions and thoughts. But then... then it was just her. This time it was just her."

"I have a theory," Mike rested a hand over the top of her foot. "I think when you lost your memory, you reverted back to the way you were before your embrace. I can only guess; I didn't know you back then. Now it looks like you're starting to come back together. Your dominant personality is trying to reassert itself."

"What, like a personality disorder? I have multiple personalities? One of them is a homicidal maniac." Alyxandra's voice raised in pitch, near panic. "If becoming a vampire turned me into something that enjoys being a monster, then I don't want want it to come back."

"You don't have multiple personalities. But the way you are now, since you forgot everything, this isn't you. It's not the Alyxandra I know. Frankly, you're not usually this lucid."

"I kill someone, and a few hours later I want to add another body to the pile. What are you saying, that's normal behavior for me?"

"You can't get upset over the guy that mugged you. Yeah, I think your reaction there was normal. For _you_. The only difference is that normally you'd know how to clean up the mess afterwards. In the lobby with that girl, no. I don't think that was normal. You're not that violent. You can be, you're certainly capable of it. I've seen you do some nasty things to nasty people. But you don't generally attack unprovoked. I think you're stressed. I think you're having trouble coping, and you're starting to lash out where you normally wouldn't."

"I don't think you understand. I enjoyed myself. That guy... after I stopped being scared, I enjoyed every minute. I was sorry he didn't shoot me, because if he had, I'd have had an excuse to torture him. I wanted to. Instead I crushed his throat and drained him dry. I taunted him while he was suffocating, and I enjoyed watching him suffer. If you're saying that's normal for me, then you're saying I'm sick. It's... it's just sick."

"No, you're not sick. You just said it yourself. You didn't torture him because you didn't have an excuse for it. If you were sick, you'd have done it anyway. And you feel remorse. Homicidal maniacs don't feel remorse."

"How often do I kill people? Nearly two in one night... if I've been a vampire for all these years..."

Mike's hand drifted upwards to rest on Alyxandra's knee. With his free hand, he brushed her hair away from her face. "Not that many. You're one of the 'good guys'. Might not seem like it right now, but you have better control of yourself than that. You don't know what you're doing right now, so you don't have that control. I'm sure there have been more than the ones I know about, but it's usually obvious when you've... I don't want to say slipped. Look, it doesn't happen often. It upsets you when it does, but you usually have a damned good reason for it."

"That guy didn't hurt me."

"You expect me to feel bad for a guy after he threatens my wife? I don't think you did anything wrong."

"About that..."

"I know, you don't believe me."

"I'm just not ready yet."

Mike nodded, but smiled as he stood up, taking her by the hand and helping her up as well. "Let's get our friend taken care of. I want some sleep."


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Outside, after a careful survey of the parking lot to make sure there were no witnesses, Mike transferred the body from the trunk of the BMW to the back of the Humvee. The gun, still locked away in the glove compartment, shortly followed. After covering the corpse with a tarp, the melting bags of ice which had kept it cool were tossed into the dumpster.

"Wouldn't it just be easier to take the car?" Alyxandra asked. It seemed risky to move the body, where someone might look out their window and see them.

"The Humvee will be better if we need to go off-road. Besides, if someone sees us they might mistake us for military and not stop to ask questions. And... it's more fun," he grinned.

"Great... at least we'll have _fun_ while we dispose of a body." Alyxandra rolled her eyes.

"This is nothing. I've had to get rid of bodies in the city before, where there wasn't much else to use other than a dumpster. Get an incendiary grenade and toss it in with the stiff... good times, good times. Not as inconspicuous as burying it or chopping it up and letting the wildlife have at it, but it works."

She stared at him for a moment, incredulous. "You leave behind your share of bodies, do you?" She asked warily.

"Mine don't tend to be accidental." He winked and helped her into the truck. "I only kill bad people, I promise. Not so much anymore; I'm getting too old for this crap."

"No full moon massacres?"

"Don't work that way," he smiled. "The movies get us wrong a lot more than they do vamps."

Mike shut the door and walked around to the other side of the trunk, where he climbed into the driver's seat. He reached over and gave Alyxandra's hand a squeeze before starting the engine. Once on the road, he let his hand drop again and brushed his fingers against hers. When she didn't pull her hand away, he picked it up. She turned to face him, but didn't pull away from him. He squeezed her hand again, more confident that she was getting used to him.

"I wanted to ask you about something," Alyxandra stared at their entwined hands for a minute, her expression passive.

"You can ask me anything."

"I met another vampire in Amarillo."

"I'm sorry." He said, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.

She gave him a dirty look and he grinned again, amused. She didn't look as if she shared his humor.

"Seriously," she said, her voice nearly pleading. When his face was serious again, she went on. "She told me that werewolves kill vampires, and that if I was involved with you, I was in a lot of trouble. Now... you haven't tried to rip my head off yet, so I'm kind of giving you the benefit of doubt here, but she seemed pretty well frightened by the idea that you might be passing through the area. So, she at least believed what she was saying. I was wondering if there was anything to what she said, because I also recall you making a crack about vampire's blood. I think you said something about not knowing the scent of many still walking. I thought you were joking, but now it's been bothering me."

"Kindred and Garou don't get along. Never, really." He admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "We're kind of a freak pair."

"How did that happen?"

"Thought you didn't believe?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Humor me."

"It's a long story. Not sure how interesting it is."

"Then bore me while you're humoring me. I want to know."

"Okay," he leaned towards her, bringing her hand to his lips and brushed them softly across the top of her hand. There was a considerable amount of space between them, which meant he had to lean quite far. She pursed her lips and averted her eyes, but he didn't think she looked upset. He thought he might be winning her over; she still hadn't pulled her hand away. In any case, the physical contact was still comforting.

After a few moments of silence, he glanced her way again. She tapped her foot impatiently, which amused him, which in turn irritated her.

"I was just a dumb kid when I moved to California. I'd seen a few vamps before, even took out a couple, but I didn't know much about them. Turned out when I met one, a Gangrel named Eric Bowen, and actually got hired by him to do some security work, I had no idea what he was. He didn't smell dead. Didn't look dead either, and he was a decent guy. He was impressed with the work I did, helped get me contracts for other jobs, mostly corporate stuff. We ended up friends. He knew what I was. I didn't know that; I had no clue. When he finally told me, well... I already trusted him. I counted him a good friend and couldn't see changing my opinion of him just because he was dead.

"It wasn't easy for me. I'd been taught that vampires were creatures of the Wyrm. They should be destroyed. And there I was, surrounded by them, taking their money. Not all the jobs I got were for Kindred, but it was the work I did for them that helped me make a name for myself. I told myself that so long as they were on the up and up and didn't try anything with me, I'd leave well enough alone.

"Then I met Eric's childe. One look at her and I didn't care what the hell she was. We didn't know each other but maybe two months before I was asking her to marry me. Eric didn't want to let her go; he hadn't embraced her long before then, and I think he wanted her. She didn't feel that way about him. We ended up getting into it a bit, but he didn't fight hard to keep her. He let her go with the stipulation that she remain close... we got married. Then I met you." He shot Alyxandra a smile filled with enough warmth that he could swear she nearly blushed.

"I stole you away from another woman?"

"No," he chuckled. "You didn't think much of me. And you annoyed the piss out of me."

"It's funny," she laughed. "I'd been thinking maybe you'd been involved with Verena."

Mike's grip on Alyxandra's hand slackened a bit, and his shoulders tightened visibly.

"You react oddly to her name," she explained. "And then, you wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked about her before. I was afraid to keep bringing her up."

Mike sighed and gave her a pained look.

"But you are talking about her, aren't you? She's dead, isn't she?" Her face crumpled in agony.

Mike's grip on her hand tightened again, making her wince slightly.

"We had less than a year together." He stared straight ahead, keeping his eyes on the road. He didn't think he could stand to see the pain in Alyxandra's face without pulling her into his arms. She wasn't ready yet.

She nodded her head, "I think I knew. I can't... feel her. But, she was a vampire? How did that happen?"

He sighed, "You disappeared, and she went looking for you. She was a little too good... got a little too close. . She caught Eric's attention. He already knew you, who you were, what happened. He was intrigued that you had a twin and he took an immediate interest. She never had a chance.

"The two of you had already been reunited before I came into the picture. But I hadn't met you until after Verena and I were married. She talked about you a lot though. Still... you were the first of your clan that I'd ever met. I had no idea what to make of you. The two of you were inseparable though, so we had to put up with each other."

"Wow," Alyxandra shook her head. "Were we both monsters, or just me? Does becoming a vampire change everyone?"

"Don't start that again. Please, babe? I guess becoming a vampire changes everyone at least a little. I'm not the best source of information here. I'm not a vampire. Verena didn't think she'd changed much. Physically, yes, but not up here." He tapped a finger against his head. "She said you had changed dramatically though. And she approved fully. She was happy to see you enjoying life. Said you had mostly been uptight before, and now you were free. No inhibitions, fearless, confident, undeniably nuts, but happier than she'd ever seen you before. If there's a bloodline that's going to completely change someone, it'd be yours. On the inside at least."

"How did she die?"

"It was an accident."

"What happened?"

"Hun..." Mike shot her a pleading look. "It was an accident."

"Okay," Alyxandra relented, but he expected she'd be bringing it up again. "Okay, then... I was fruit loops, we didn't like each other... Verena was... gone. How did this happen?" She lifted his hand in hers.

"Just kind of did. It wasn't like we were at each other's throats. We were friendly. And after Verena died, you just sort of made your claim." He grinned at her and chuckled, "Who was I to tell you no. Wouldn't have listened to me if I had anyway."

"That sounds awful." Alyxandra pulled her hand away and crossed her arms.

"Why?" He looked over at her for a moment, before turning his attention back to the road. "We needed each other. Might not have been a traditional beginning, but you've never heard me complain. We've been together twelve years, and we're happy. Must be doing something right."

"So, what? She dies and we just hook up? Just like that? It doesn't sound right."

"No, not just like that. We lost her, but we were still in each other's lives. Nothing really changed between us for a few months. But once you decided I belonged to you, I didn't have a prayer. Can't say I fought very hard. After you made up your mind, everything just sort of fell into place. Before I knew it, you had me at the courthouse getting a marriage license. No proposals, no discussions, just did it."

"Sounds rather depressing. Obviously you weren't in love, so why? I don't get it."

"Who says I wasn't? You think I'd have married you if I didn't love you? Just because I didn't get down on one knee and ask doesn't mean I didn't want you. I would have eventually."

Mike sighed and tried to take Alyxandra's hand again, but she kept her arms firmly wrapped around herself. He let his arm drop back to his side.

"Don't sulk, baby." He said to her, frowning. "It might sound bad, but it's really not. Neither one of us is or ever has been anything anyone would call normal. Why should we be any more traditional in this? Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't. You're just humoring me, remember?" She turned away and looked out the window. "What if she were to show up again?"

"Kinky," he grinned at her.

She glared back. "You can't be serious, can you? You're like a little kid in an elevator. Gotta push all those buttons. Push, push, push... until someone smacks the shit out of him. Thinks he's cute until someone's had enough and pushes back."

"Who's pushing buttons? I'm just a funny guy."

She made a disgusted face at him and rolled her eyes.

"It wouldn't matter, hun. I love you. You're stuck with me."

"Lucky, lucky... lucky little ducky. I still think you're nuts." She rubbed her forehead. "I didn't know vampires could get headaches. Where the hell are we going?"

Mike gave her an odd, considering look. "Santa Rosa Lake State Park... seems like a good enough spot. I don't think anyone will notice the earth's been disturbed under all the leaf litter." He stopped the Humvee and hopped out.

While pulling the shovel from the back of the Humvee, Mike also dug out a pair of night vision goggles. Being used to having to find distractions for a restless wife, he figured these would keep Alyxandra entertained while he dug the grave.

"I'm sorry," she told him, coming around the truck and trailing her fingers along the side of the vehicle.

"For what?" He asked her, slipping on a pair of thick gloves.

"For being a whiny bitch. I'm starting to even annoy myself. That's not another habit I've developed, is it? I've never been one for self pity. Well... not vocally at least."

"No, you're pretty much happier the worse things are. You usually only start complaining when everything is going well. You get bored, and then you start looking for trouble. So go ahead and complain."

"Then I guess I should be ecstatic right about now." Alyxandra offered a weak smile.

"Here, take these," he handed her the goggles. "You'll be able to see if anyone tries sneaking up on us."

She frowned at the thing before putting it on her head. "Cool," she said and started looking around. "Thanks daddy."

"Daddy?" He frowned.

"Daddy gives the little brat a toy, so she'll be good and play nice. I'm not an idiot."

Mike chuckled, "Just watch out for dinosaurs." Then he headed off into a thicker stand of trees to find a good spot to dig.

Digging out a sufficiently sized hole took a good hour of hard labor. After transferring the body to the grave, as well as the gun, it took nearly as much time to fill the hole in again, pack down the earth, then cover the area so it looked undisturbed.

Alyxandra was nowhere in sight, so he set off to find her. Tracking her wasn't difficult; not even instinct led her to attempt a stealthy passage. She left behind footprints in the dried and cracked earth, broken twigs, trampled flora, and her scent on everything that she'd touched. The song of a million insects grew in volume as he neared the lake, and his wife's scent also grew stronger. Curiously, he found her pants abandoned on the ground where she'd left a path towards the water's edge. He picked them up, wondering why she'd shed them; she wasn't fond of swimming. A quick survey of his immediate surroundings revealed where she'd also left behind her sandals.

The trees thinned abruptly as he followed the path Alyxandra had taken, and beyond them he found his wife. She was sitting at the shoreline, covered in mud, and holding something which jerked in her hands. She still wore the goggles and didn't appear to have shed any more of her clothing, but a soft breeze blowing in his direction told him that she had shed her blood. She was squeezing a few drops of vitae from one of her fingertips into the unhappy mouth of a frog. Once she'd accomplished this deed, she opened her hands and let the creature leap away and vanish into lake with a splash. She sighed and gathered her legs beneath her. Not having noticed Mike yet, she began a search of the water's edge for her next volunteer.

"Babe?" Mike called to her, getting her attention.

She turned to him, her face lit with pleasure. She removed the goggles and laughed.

"Making yourself an army of ghouls?"

"Is that how that works? I wasn't sure. I've been experimenting." She pointed excitedly to a dead frog not far from Mike's feet. "Only one casualty. The first was an accident. I found a lovely little lizard, but the bugger bit me and I couldn't catch him again. Since I was bleeding anyway, I thought I'd see what would happen, and the frogs were easier to catch. The first was fascinating. After a taste, he hopped away and attacked one of his larger brothers. The stupid little thing tried to swallow it, and... well, he's dead now so he must have suffocated. I tested the survivor, but he only leapt away and I haven't seen him again. The rest have followed suit."

She took her pants and shoes from Mike and redressed while he shook his head at her, smiling. He was pleased to see her in a better mood, and when they started off back towards the Humvee, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, something of which he did out of habit. She allowed the contact for a dozen steps before she casually shrugged away from him and quickened her pace. When he made it back to the truck, she was sitting in the passenger seat waiting for him.

"It's almost morning," he said as he started the engine. When she shot him a started look and began checking the sky, he added in a confident tone, "We've got plenty of time. I wouldn't keep you out too late."

She nodded and rested her head back against the seat.

--

The drive back to the hotel was made in silence. Mike was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to take a quick shower and collapse into bed. Alyxandra was becoming drowsy as was usual so close to dawn, and so kept her questions to herself for the time being.

By the time he pulled back into the hotel's parking lot, Alyxandra was slumped over as though asleep. Only the telltale rise and fall of her chest gave away that she was still awake; she would have ceased breathing as soon as she fell asleep.

Mike hopped out of the truck and made his way around to the passenger side to help her down. When he opened her door, her eyes fluttered open for a brief second, then closed again. She mumbled something unintelligible, sounding annoyed. Sighing, Mike scooped her up into his arms and pushed the door closed with his leg. She giggled and pressed her face into his shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked her, unsure what to make of her change in behavior. He was afraid to hope that she was coming back to herself.

Another giggle was all she gave him in answer.

"I think we need to get you to bed."

She lifted a hand and waved a finger at him, her face momentarily stern before breaking into a grin. "I'm not that kind of girl."

"What if I'm that kind of guy?"

"I bite."

"So do I. Besides, I don't mind." He chuckled as he pushed open the lobby doors with his back.

The desk clerk who had checked them in earlier was still on duty, and she was leaning against the counter, this time practicing her flirting with one of the local police officers. The officer lounged against the counter, his head bent towards the clerk, a cup of coffee in one hand. When Mike and Alyxandra entered, he glanced up at them and nodded his head in a half-hearted greeting.

Alyxandra lifted her head to look at him, her eyes widening. A gasp escaped her lips, followed by a broken sob. The officer turned towards them, this time eying them with more interest.

Mike hushed her, but she shook her head and cried. "I killed him! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I didn't know what I was doing."

The cop's face soured and he stepped toward them. Before he could say a word, Mike was shaking his head and smiling apologetically.

"She's a little drunk, sir. Everything's fine."

"I'm under aged," Alyxandra informed the officer, suddenly absolutely sober.

"She's not. She's got her ID on her," Mike gave Alyxandra a stern look, which only made her start giggling again.

"All right, all right," the officer said, holding up his hands. "Would you mind telling me what the two of you have been up to? Oh, and I'd like to see that ID, please. She looks a little young to be drinking."

Mike set Alyxandra on her feet, where she wobbled slightly, inadvertently lending credence to his excuse that she'd been drinking. After giving both men a very admonishing look, she pulled herself up straight and withdrew her wallet. She slid her license out and handed it to the officer.

The officer tapped the license against the palm of his hand a few times, lips pursed, before handing it back. "And you, sir?" He asked Mike, and examined his license in the same manner.

"My wife and I were down the road at the bar. She got a little carried away, but she's fine, really. And I assure you, I have not been drinking." Mike placed a steadying hand on Alyxandra's back while he spoke to the officer, though she no longer appeared to need the assistance.

"Okay, I can see that. Doesn't explain why you both look like you've been rolling around in the mud." The officer turned from Mike to Alyxandra. "Ma'am, can you explain what you meant when you said you'd killed somebody?"

"Did I say that?" She shot Mike a nervous look. "I just feel bad. He was so cute, but I didn't really mean to hurt him."

"Can you tell me who you're talking about? What exactly happened?"

She frowned at him as though his question were ridiculous and the answer obvious. "The frog," she spoke slowly as one would to an imbecile. "That's why I'm muddy. I was chasing frogs."

"She accidentally stepped on the one she managed to catch," Mike added.

"Frogs?" The officer asked, looking doubtful.

Mike shrugged, and tried to look embarrassed.

The officer nodded, "Alright then, you folks have a good morning."

"Thank you, sir." Mike said, and gave Alyxandra a gentle push, his hand still on her back. She shuffled along beside him.

Once inside their room, he sagged against the door. "You're a brat, you know that?"

Alyxandra gave him a sheepish half-smile. "Sorry... I was feeling very giddy. I'm better now."

He pushed himself back up and away from the door, then wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug then kissed the top of her head. She immediately stiffened.

"Sorry," he apologized and dropped his arms.

"It's okay," she said, then groaned when she looked down at herself. "Please tell me you brought me a change of clothes?"

"Ah... no. I'm sorry, I didn't even think to pack you anything. I've got a shirt you can wear to bed." He moved his bag from the floor to the credenza and unzipped it. After a moment of digging around, he pulled out a plain white teeshirt and handed it over. It was long enough that it would cover her decently. "I'll go out later and pick something up for you."

"Thanks," she accepted the shirt. "I would really like to never see these pants again."

"You can have the shower first."

"That's alright, you go ahead. I'm wide awake now anyway, and I'm sure you've been up a lot longer than me. I know you want to get to sleep."

"Alyx," Mike began, looking worried. "You're not going to run off?"

"I'd fry," she said, surprised by the question.

"True... I know you're not going anywhere right now, but I don't want you running off again later. I'll take you to California if you're set on going there, which I see you are. You don't need to do anything on your own. Just don't take off, and we can go wherever you want."

Alyxandra chewed her lower lip, thinking. "When I called you for help, I kind of figured you'd try to drag me back home with you. I hadn't considered that you might be willing to ride along with me."

"I'm not going to make you go anywhere. I just want to keep you safe. We've got as many enemies out there as friends, and you're not in any shape to confront them."

She nodded her acceptance, then grinned. "Groovy, my very own guard dog."

--

After they'd both cleaned themselves up, Alyxandra lay in bed listening to Mike snore softly from the other bed. She was tired, felt weak, but sleep wasn't coming. He had placed duct tape around the edges of the thick curtains, ensuring no light escaped through the window. She couldn't tell if it was light out or not, but according to the clock which sat between the beds, it would be well into the morning.

"Mike?" She whispered as she slid out of bed and sat gingerly on the side of Mike's bed. He gave no response and continued to snore quietly. Biting her lip, she reached out and rapped him thrice on his forehead with the tips of her fingers.

His forehead furrowed and his eyes opened in a squint. "Huh?" He sounded annoyed.

She waited a moment for him to wake up fully, mostly as an excuse to put off what she wanted to ask.

He rolled over to his side and propped himself up on his elbow. "What's wrong?"

"Are you really my husband? Honestly... are we really married? You're not..." She shrugged, cringing slightly at her own words, uncomfortable saying them.

He sighed, "Yes Alyx. I'm not lying to you. I won't lie to you. You are my wife."

She nodded, then frowned. "But you're so... old."

He laughed, "Only to a nineteen year old. You know, I'm not even a year older than you. Some of us still age."

"Cradle robber," she accused, laughing lightly. She was still tense and nervous, but she was visibly relaxing.

"Zoophiliac."

She gasped, "Eww, that's gross."

He shrugged, "I am a werewolf. But I get to be a cradle robbing necrophiliac."

"Buttons," she warned, glaring.

"What buttons?"

"I am _not_ dead," she growled.

"Undead. Kind of dead..." He grinned.

"Yeah, undead. As in not dead."

He bowed his head, giving in. Still, he kept a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Can I ask you something without you getting too... Ugh! I just don't want to be alone." She pressed a hand to her forehead, looking miserable. "Can I sleep next to you?"

He didn't say anything, but he did move over to make room, then pulled the blanket aside. She curled up awkwardly beside him, her back against his chest. He pulled the blanket back up over them. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she took his hand and pulled his arm around herself.

"Goodnight, baby." He whispered, and a few seconds later he heard her breath catch, and then she was still, asleep.


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Alyxandra stretched herself out contentedly and threw an arm across the bed. She was alone. Her eyes flew open and she felt something near to panic wash over her at finding the bed empty. When she looked up, she saw him. Immediately, she felt herself calming down again. Mike hadn't left her. He sat in a chair near the foot of the bed with his feet propped up on the desk, while enjoying a thick take-out cheeseburger. So he had left... but he'd come back.

"Sleep well?" He asked, around a mouthful of his dinner.

"Very," she said sleepily. "You left me?"

"Told you I'd be going out. You wanted a change of clothes, I needed to eat, and I can't sleep as long as you do. Besides, you sleep like the dead so I knew you wouldn't miss me anyway."

"Oh... I guess vampires kind of get ripped off on the waking hours, don't they?"

"Maybe, but you make up for it with the whole eternity thing." He made a satisfied sound as he took another bite of his burger.

"Good point," she smiled then gestured to his dinner. "That should look good... but it's disgusting."

He growled and tore off another bite with a shake of his head.

Alyxandra laughed, "Vicious. Frozen hamburger patties everywhere shall tremble in fear of the big, horrible werewolf. And..." She glared at him suddenly. "I do not sleep like the dead."

"Yes you do," he laughed.

"You snore."

He shrugged.

"You got me some clothes?"

"They're in the bathroom." He mumbled around his last mouthful.

"Thanks," Alyxandra stretched once more before reluctantly rolling out of bed.

In the bathroom, she picked up the blue shopping bag that was waiting for you. It seemed that Mike had chosen to err on the excessive side and get her everything she might need rather than risk missing something. There were socks, but no shoes. The sandals she had would do though, so they were unnecessary. There were underthings, tasteful and modest. In fact, far more modest than anything she recalled seeing back at the house in Riverton. She wondered how uncomfortable he'd been having to buy these things. She was thrilled to see a pair of jeans, something she had _not_ seen in the closet back at the house. There was also a flirty black skirt, a pair of slacks, and three tops in various colors and cuts. Nothing in the way of sleepwear, but the shirt she'd borrowed would do. Her eyes popped when she looked at the price tags.

She poked her head out the bathroom door and grinned at Mike. "What did you do, let the saleslady pick out all the most expensive stuff in the store?"

"Pretty much, yeah. I didn't know what to grab. You're lucky if I got the right size. Everything OK?"

"You did good. Thank you."

He nodded before throwing himself across the bed and flipping on the television.

Closing the door, she cleaned herself up and got dressed, choosing the jeans and the most casual of the tops, a dark blue blouse that felt suspiciously like silk. Borrowing a comb from Mike's toiletry bag, she brushed out her tangled hair the best she could. She should have asked him to pick her up a brush as well, but the comb was better than nothing.

Refreshed and far more comfortable than she'd been the last couple of nights, she rejoined Mike in the other room. She took a seat on the opposite bed and curled her legs beneath her.

"What now?" She asked him.

"Figured we'd stop in Flagstaff next. Then... where do you want to go, LA or Ventura? I was figuring Ventura, but I don't know what you're after."

"I don't know either," she laughed. "I hadn't figured that part out yet."

"You've got to have something in mind, hell bent as you are on going."

"I don't. I don't know what I'm doing. I thought I was going home, but... I still need to go. I want to." Alyxandra knew she sounded as hopeless as she felt and didn't want to give Mike an excuse to try talking her out of going on, but she didn't know what else to tell him.

--

Kory bounced on the balls of his bare feet, growing impatient as he waited outside the hotel. Eater had tracked the pair here after they'd caught their scents near the lake. He was good like that; had a talent for tracking. They weren't happy about finding a strange Garou on their turf, even if it had been months since they'd called this area home. They might have been willing to overlook the intrusion had the scent been old, but such a fresh trail was irresistible. Add to the temptation the accompanying scent of a vampire and there was no way they were going to issue a pass. The game was on.

There were no signs of a tussle between the leech and the Garou, and the corpse they'd dug up hadn't given them many clues as to what the two might be doing together. The corpse had been fun just the same. Parts of it now decorated the lake front like party favors, entrails strung between trees, limbs hanging down like Christmas bulbs. He'd taken a few bites as well, but the bloodless thing hadn't tasted very good.

The pair was inside the hotel, apparently rooming together. Kory had rarely heard of either a Garou or a vampire being willing to work with the other, so this was a curious thing. Their scents linked them to two vehicles in the parking lot, so they probably weren't traveling together. It was an interesting puzzle, but not what had Kory so excited. He'd never had his hands on a vampire before. He was looking forward to playing with it; seeing how far he could take things before he broke it.

Eater and Jill weren't far off, having found a place to hide out at the other end of the parking lot. One or the other, the Garou or the vampire – both if they were lucky – were bound to come out eventually. They could wait. They would wait without patience, but they would wait.

Now and then he would hear Jill's jackal-like laughter, or get a glimpse of the restless little mule. She'd give them away if Eater didn't beat her down. But all three were positioned carefully downwind from the hotel's entrance, so he couldn't smell them, nor they him. Most importantly, the Garou and vampire wouldn't smell them either.

Jill was still bouncing around, causing too much of a racket. Kory growled, losing patience with her. Eater flashed him a grin from across the lot before he smashed a heavy fist into the back of her skull. She went down, whimpering. She didn't stay down for long, but she kept her head ducked and her mouth shut.

It was near midnight before their waiting came to an end. The Garou left the hotel alone and crossed through the lot to one of the vehicles, oblivious of his audience. He was larger than either Kory or Eater, but they had him outnumbered. Jill was next to useless, tiny thing that she was, but she was vicious. Once they had him, they'd let her have her way with him before taking their own turns. Kory wondered if she'd decorate with his entrails as well. The girl liked her entrails.

Eater signaled Kory to wait. The Garou was moving the BMW they'd identified earlier, setting it up to be towed by the Humvee. They'd wait and see if the vampire joined him. It would be better to take down both of them together and avoid the risk of warning the other off. After the Garou had finished with the vehicles, he returned to the hotel. Left waiting again, Kory started to pace.

They weren't kept waiting much longer before the Garou returned, luggage in hand, followed by a slim blonde. Kory salivated, his nose greeted by the smell of old blood and the faintest hint of decay. She was cute... she'd be a whole lot cuter once he decorated that creamy white skin with his claws.

The Garou helped his vampire companion into the Humvee. Eater signaled him to take Blondie. He grinned. Eater and Jill would take the Garou. As soon as he was in the truck, they started forward.

The three converged on the vehicle simultaneously, shifting their bodies into their monstrous werewolf forms. Kory slammed a fur covered fist into the passenger side window so near Blondie's head. The window vibrated, Blondie let out a startled scream, but the damned window didn't break. Eater and Jill had the driver's side door open and were already dealing with their charge. He yanked the door open and snarled at the girl, his spittle spraying her in the face. She stared dumbly at him for a long second before reacting. She brought her elbow up and clubbed him in the snout, and a fraction of a second later, she kicked out and caught him in the gut with her heel. He sneered at her, unhurt, and grabbed her around the throat. She struggled, twisting her body around, making it hard for him to keep his grip on her. He clubbed her over the head with his fist, much as Eater had done with Jill earlier. Unlike Jill, she gave no notice and continued to struggle.

--

Mike caught the Spiral Dancer's scents just a heartbeat before they attacked. As his door was being yanked open, he began to change forms while kicking his foot under his seat, dislodging his klaive. He wrapped a clawed fist around the handle of the sword sized silver knife. There were three of the Wyrm tainted bastards. One of them was pulling Alyxandra from the truck, but he didn't have time to deal with him. There were two others to occupy him, reaching into the truck, clawing at him. He swung the klaive blindly and one of them screamed.

"Alyx, use your crayons! They're in the glove box!" He shouted just as a heavily muscled arm wrapped itself around his throat. He was being pulled from the truck and couldn't see if she heard him.

He gasped sharply as hot pain flamed in his left side when something sliced into his ribs. The klaive slipped out of his outstretched hand, dropping uselessly into his vacant seat.

--

Alyxandra didn't understand. Crayons? She knew she was supposed to have some ridiculous notion about them, but how on earth could they help her? She didn't have time to try and figure it out. Assuming she must have misheard, she clawed open the glove compartment. Crayons. Inside a plastic sandwich bag, a dozen of the waxy yellow things waited, oddly sprinkled with something silver and shiny. She grabbed the bag and threw it into her attacker's face. The bag struck him between his eyes and fell harmlessly to the ground. He blinked in confusion, but it didn't slow him down long. She threw herself away from him, and tried to claw her way towards Mike. But Mike was gone, already pulled from the truck. On his seat, in his place, was a wicked, shining weapon. She lunged for the massive blade, grabbing hold of it as she too was pulled from the truck.

--

Mike had wounded one of his assailants. The massive, black furred werewolf's chest had been laid open by the klaive and he clawed at himself in agony. Still, it was he who had his arm wrapped around Mike's throat, and as he writhed in misery, he held on to his prey in a death grip. A much smaller werewolf, covered in patches of red fur, darted around the two. She darted in, swiped at Mike with her claws, then darted away again before he could strike back at her. The wounds burned, but they were superficial and would heal.

Mike lifted his muzzle and howled, giving in to his rage. He was WarCry. His enemies would learn to shrink back and cringe at the sound of his call.

The black wolf spoke to the red female in a harsh tongue WarCry could not understand. The female laughed, a hideously high pitched noise. She ducked and threw herself at WarCry's legs, throwing him off balance. Before he could regain his footing, he was dragged from the parking lot.

WarCry was being towed into the desert. He could no longer see his wife; had no idea where the third werewolf had carried her off to. There was nothing he could do for her.

He struggled against the black wolf, striking back at him with his claws, slicing into the pungent werewolf's legs. The beast was grunting in pain and struggling, but his hold on WarCry's throat did not lessen. It was becoming difficult to breathe.

The red female was still darting around them. She was tiny, as far as werewolves went, but she moved with lightning speed. WarCry snarled, and as she darted in again, her claws striking his jaw, he struck. His own claws caught her on the inside of her forearm and he ripped downward towards her elbow, slicing through her flesh down to the bone. She shrieked and jerked away from him.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been fighting in this way. It couldn't have been very long, but he could no longer see the parking lot or even the hotel. He needed to end this.

Just then, he heard an agonized scream. The sound was cut off sharply, and everything was silent for a moment. Alyxandra.

WarCry dug his heels into the warm desert sand and with every ounce of strength he could call upon, he threw his weight forward. The large black wolf launched over his shoulder, loosing his grip on WarCry's throat. The red female was struck with the full weight of the black wolf and she went down, crushed by his bulk. She clawed at her comrade, trying to free herself. The black wolf was dazed momentarily. Free of his burden, WarCry crouched over the other two werewolves. His lips pulled back over his teeth and he issued forth a terrible roar of rage. The red female tore at the black wolf with fang and claw, desperately trying to dislodge him. The black wolf scrambled, trying to regain his feet. WarCry pounced atop them both and with a feral growl he tore into the black wolf's throat. Blood spurted into his mouth as his teeth tore into the other wolf's flesh. He shook his head back and forth, ripping and tearing. His claws sunk into his enemy's already ruined chest, spilling his blood onto the parched earth. Beneath WarCry, the black wolf's body shuddered and then was still.

He spit out a mouthful of the black wolf's tainted blood before bending over the red wolf. When their eyes met, she whimpered. He stood up, and she looked hopeful. He rolled his shoulders, joints popping noisily, and looked down at her with pitiless eyes. He lifted one clawed foot, and as her eyes filled with fear, he brought his foot down upon her throat, snapping bone and crushing her windpipe. She clawed at his leg, but with a loud pop, she jerked once more and was still.

--

Kory half dragged, half carried his prize off into the desert. She still struggled, but was disappointingly weak. She did, however, clutch against her chest a klaive. She hadn't threatened him with it yet, and he hadn't had the chance to get it away from her, but he was wary of it. He wasn't entirely sure she even realized she had it in her hands. Blondie kicked at him and made a lot of noise, hissing and making a show of her fangs, but she came along fairly easily. More of a challenge would have been more fun, but he was sure he'd have plenty of that anyway. When he was confident he had her far enough away from the prying eyes and ears of humans, he dropped the vampire to the ground.

The little bitch surprised him. As soon as he released her, she hit the ground and sprang after him, sinking her fangs into the back of his ankle. He kicked her in the stomach. She grunted, but didn't let go. He could feel his blood being drawn out. It was interesting, he'd never experienced anything like it before.

Blondie still had the klaive in her hand, but it rested on the ground and she made no attempt to use it. She seemed completely absorbed in feeding. He stepped down on the blade. It burned, the sole of his foot bubbled and blistered in reaction to the silver, but he kept his weight shifted down on the blade as he reached down and grabbed a handful of blonde hair. Blondie'd had enough blood. It was his turn. He jerked her head away, tearing his own flesh with her fangs. She hissed and spat, but she let go of the blade in an attempt to free herself. He swept the klaive away.

Kory giggled and shook the girl like a rag doll. He'd had no idea vampires were such helpless, weak little things. Disappointing, yes, but no matter... Maybe next time he'd find one with more fight in it. He tossed her down again. Her skull struck the ground with a hard thud and she tried to curl herself into a ball, her arms coming up to protect her head. He grabbed her by the leg and yanked her forward.

"Bite me, I bite you," he giggled, the words nearly unintelligible, formed awkwardly in his muzzle. He sliced through her jeans with a single claw, then ripped them open, exposing the white flesh of her thigh. He drooled. He'd never gotten to taste a vampire before. Humans were good. He'd even sampled other Garou before. He sunk his teeth into her thigh and she screamed. He reached out and backhanded her. The scream cut off immediately and she was silent. Normally he might enjoy the screaming, but it was ruining the moment for him just now. The vampire squirmed beneath him, her body stretching out. From the corner of his eye, he saw something shine in the moonlight.

--

WarCry hunted, following the scent of the third werewolf who had taken his wife. He could hear nothing but his own breathing. His wounds were mostly healed. He hadn't taken any serious damage, but he was tired. Still, he raced along the trail left behind by Alyxandra and her captor.

The scene he found at the end of the trail was not one he expected.

The third werewolf, a hideous thing with sparse patches of brown fur, his exposed skin a mass of thickly layered scars, lay motionless on the ground. His stomach had been opened, its contents spilling out. He was missing his eyes as well as the majority of his throat. What fur he had, was mostly matted in his own blood. Alyxandra sat, seemingly unharmed, a few feet away. Her eyes were dilated, their dark blue rings only a thin line around the black pupils. She was perfectly still, unbreathing. Her lips were pulled back from her teeth in a frozen snarl. In her lap rested WarCry's klaive. It was covered in the brown werewolf's gore. Alyxandra had hardly a drop on her; only her hands were drenched in blood.

WarCry shifted, reverting to his natural, human form.

"Baby?" Mike whispered warily. He kept a good dozen feet away from her.

She hissed.

Mike crouched down, holding the palms of his hands toward her in a nonthreatening posture. "Take a breath, baby. Everything's OK."

He edged forward slightly, and she jerked herself back. The klaive slipped off her lap and fell to the ground. She dug her fingers into the sand as she hissed again, the sound tearing from deep in her throat. He settled back onto his heels again.

Alyxandra stared at him, her eyes registering no sign of recognition. So long as he didn't move, neither did she.

She was hurt. He caught the faint scent of her blood, barely detectable under the heavy odor of the brown wolf's foul secretions. He couldn't tell where she was hurt. She was hunched over herself, muscles coiled, read to strike out or run.

"Babe... Alyxandra." He called to her softly. Her cheek twitched in response.

After another tense moment, she began to sag visibly. When she moved forward, he dropped his hands and waited. She took a deep breath and crept towards him, eyes still black and wary. When she was within arm's reach, he met her the rest of the way and pulled her against his chest. She buried her face against his shoulder and dug her fingers into his side, clinging to him.

Mike held Alyxandra tightly, caressing her hair and murmuring to her, hushing her, while rocking her back and forth.

"I don't know what happened," she mumbled into his shoulder, the words coming out between gasping breaths.

"You killed yourself a werewolf," Mike said proudly, more than a touch of surprise in his voice.

"I can't remember anything."

"I think you frenzied. It doesn't matter." He started running his hands over her, trying to find where she was hurt. When he reached her leg, she sucked in a breath and flinched in his arms.

"It hurts," she cried when his fingers examined her wounds.

"Bastard bit you. It's not bad... will take a few days to heal."

A howl sounded in the distance, followed by another.

Mike swore and pulled Alyxandra to her feet. She winced painfully.

"We need to get out of here," he growled. She blinked at him, still dazed.

There was no time to waste. Mike was tired, but Alyxandra wouldn't be running far with her wounded leg. He hated to run from a fight, but taking on the rest of the pack of Spiral Dancer's would be suicide. He retrieved his klaive, lifted Alyxandra into his arms, and ran.


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

The Humvee was as they'd left it, doors open, lights on. Mike's keys sat in the ignition, luggage untouched in one of the back seats. He got Alyxandra buckled in and retrieved her bag of crayons from the ground. When he handed them to her, she stared at them helplessly.

"They're laced with silver." He told her.

She frowned at him, unsure if that was supposed to mean something significant.

"You think Garou like to eat yellow crayons, right? So... I lace them with silver. You feed the big bad nasty, and the silver poisons him. Goodbye werewolf." He explained hurriedly.

She replaced the bag in the glove compartment. "If you say so, but I don't get the crayon thing. Why would you want to hurt other werewolves, anyway? And why did they attack us? Because I'm a vampire?"

"No... they were Black Spiral Dancers. They'd have attacked me with or without you here. They're enemies. And I wouldn't let you try and feed a laced crayon to a good guy."

"And these 'bad guys' just let me shove a crayon in their mouth? I'm supposed to believe that?" She looked him in the eye to show she wasn't buying it.

"No, you use a slingshot."

She laughed. The whole idea was too absurd.

"You're a damned good shot," he grinned.

He seemed sincere enough, but she couldn't imagine herself shooting anything but her own foot with a slingshot.

He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes again, his face serious. "Your eyes are still dilated. Did you feed on him? Can you remember?"

"Can we please get out of here?" Alyxandra shivered, thinking of the howls they had heard. There were more of the Spiral Dancers out there and she didn't want to make their acquaintance.

"Yeah, we should hurry." He shut her door and all but ran to the driver's side after prying her hand from his shirt. She'd been clinging to him, and hadn't realized that she'd still been holding on. Within seconds they were on the highway.

"I did bite him." Alyxandra whispered, resting her head against the window.

"Did you take a lot? Lupine blood isn't a good idea."

"Well, I didn't _know_ that," she snapped. "I don't know how to fight. The only thing I knew to do was bite him. I don't know how much I took though; he wasn't very accommodating."

Mike ignored her temper. "You might have frenzied without it, but it's probably why you did. You'll be close to doing it again until his blood's out of your system. Going to be paranoid too. It's kind of like a drug to Kindred. You may have some tolerance built up to it, but I don't know. You bite me sometimes, but you never take more than a taste. It's..." he shrugged, "foreplay."

She made a disgusted face, "I wouldn't feed on you."

"You've never _fed_ on me."

"How far do we have to go? I don't think I can sit still like this for long." She fidgeted in her seat as if to prove her point. "My head feels full. It's not right; I don't like it."

"Albuquerque is less than two hours away. Can you hold on that long? I don't think they'll follow us that far, but if they do, they're not going to track us down in the city."

She grimaced, but nodded her head. It was going to be a long two hours.

"This sucks!" She cried out, writhing in her seat. She wanted claws. She wanted to be able to drive them into something, anything, and feel them causing destruction. "I feel like there's something inside me trying to rip its way out."

"It's your beast," he said simply, as if it explained everything.

Alyxandra wanted to kick him, but the damned console between their seats prevented her access. She knew she had no reason to be angry with him, but she was angry just the same, and there was nobody else to focus it on.

A bobtail thundered past them, blowing its horn. She flinched back from the window, gasping.

"It's loud," she screamed. "And you drive like an old lady."

"You need to calm down, hun. I'm going the speed limit."

She pressed her hands to her ears to dull the sound. Everything was too much; too loud, too bright, everything too real. Even the sensation of her clothing touching her seemed exaggerated. She gasped for a breath, realizing she hadn't been breathing.

Turning her head towards Mike, her eyes widened. He was glowing.

"You're pink," she told him, confused by what she was seeing.

"Huh?" He glanced at her.

"You're glowing pink," she insisted, her tone accusing. "What are you doing?"

He gave her a worried look before turning his attention back to the road. "I'm not doing anything, babe."

"Yes, you are." She growled impatiently, "People aren't supposed to... glow. It's pink, all around you. There are other colors mixed in too. There's blue and yellow. Lots of gold. It's like that metaphysical crap. You know, like an aura or something."

"Makes sense," Mike sounded infuriatingly unconcerned.

She leaned over the console, resting her arm across the notebook computer seated there. She opened her mouth to chew him out, but sucked in a breath instead. Her eyes widened and the lights around her became more painful to her eyes.

_Mike sat with the notebook on his knee, typing in the information needed to begin tracking the BMW with the LoJack system that was installed. In a matter of seconds, he'd know precisely where Alyxandra was._

Alyxandra jerked her arm away from the notebook. She held her arms before herself, afraid to touch anything. Gingerly, she reached over and placed her hand over the computer again. Nothing happened.

She could see Mike darting searching glances in her direction, but she chose to ignore him for the moment. Something had happened when she'd touched that computer. She needed to find something else. The crayons! Maybe it would happen again if she touched them. She pulled the glove compartment open. Sitting beside the bag of crayons was the slingshot that Mike had mentioned. She would test that instead.

The slingshot wasn't anything like the little leather toys she'd seen as a kid. This one was larger and primarily made of steel wrapped in rubber. With a deep breath she reached in and picked it up.

_The werewolf writhed in agony at her feet, dying. It was reverting back to its human form as it ripped open its own throat, trying to remove the poison lodged inside. Thick foam flowed from its gaping jaws, bloody from when its uncontrolled snapping had severed its own tongue._

She tossed the slingshot back into the glove compartment and closed the door with a shaking hand. She gulped, feeling sick.

"You OK, hun?"

She shook her head, irritated by the stupid question. Of course she wasn't OK.

He reached his arm out to her, but she didn't want his comfort. She grabbed his arm to push him away.

_His eyes were terribly sad. He didn't cry, hadn't cried, but his emotions were plain on his face. He grieved. She was relieved though, to see that he only mourned. There was no sign of guilt in his features. Nobody blamed him for Verena's death. He shouldn't feel responsible._

Her breath caught. This was Mike's memory, but it was her memory as well and she saw it through her own eyes. It was as though she were experiencing it for the first time, but she knew it belonged to her as much as it did to him.

_Alyxandra wondered briefly if she should feel some guilt herself, but she did not. She grieved too, for the loss of more than just a sister. Verena had been her other half, her twin. But she felt no anger at her sister's death. She had shed few tears, even when the wounds of her loss were fresh, but now she felt little. After all, did she not see her sister's face every time she looked in the mirror? Could she not still speak to her, converse inside her head? True, she wouldn't be able to touch her again, but Verena had never been much for physical contact anyway. She'd be missed, but Alyxandra would go on without her. She'd started this other life without her sister, she could continue it._

_She remembered the rage burning in her brother-in-law's eyes that night. But now, when he glanced over at her briefly, there was nothing of that left. He'd never hated her. Never felt much of anything for her, really. He'd tolerated her, been amused by her at times, and had accepted her in his life because she was in Verena's life. But that night... he'd wanted to hurt her. She couldn't remember what had happened. That happened sometimes, things would vanish from her mind. Sometimes she didn't want to remember, and her mind was often willing to oblige her. She had tried to remember, thinking it should be important to remember, but nothing came to her. She could only remember him, taken by his Rage, coming at her in his terrible Crinos form, all teeth and claws. He'd wanted to kill her, and she'd stood there unflinching. But she was still alive. Verena was the one who had died that night, thrusting her sister out of the way, and taking the damage from her husband that had been meant for her sister. She'd died quickly._

Alyxandra dug her nails into Mike's flesh and bared her fangs at him, hissing. He gripped her wrist firmly and took his eyes off the road to watch her face, his own face full of confusion and worry behind the pink haze that surrounded him.

_Alyxandra toyed with the amethyst pendant that rested between her breasts. It had belonged to Verena. She had always worn it, and it had been as much a part of her as her wild, free nature. And now, she knew she looked more like her sister than herself. Even though they'd been twins, people had always been able to tell them apart. They were so different in their manners that it had seemed to mark them physically. But she knew now, as he looked up at her again, that he would see his wife._

_He knew Verena was dead of course, knew who he was seeing. But he didn't resist as she came to sit beside him and wrap her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. She even smelled like Verena, but he could tell the difference._

_"You could be mine," she told him. He didn't respond._

_She sighed and closed her eyes, resting against him. She'd never thought about him much. Had never desired him. She enjoyed men, though she had little experience with them. She enjoyed teasing, but the idea of going further than that intimidated her. Her sister hadn't had such reservations. But Verena was gone, and she'd left this gentle wolf behind. Alyxandra didn't want him to be gentle. But she would take him. Thought she could love him. He felt good to her, in her arms. He didn't intimidate her, as so many others did. She felt safe. She didn't always enjoy feeling safe, but in this respect, it was comforting. She thought she could give herself to him, and be happy._

_It never occurred to her to wonder if she could make him happy._

_"Puppy?" She whispered, her own name for him, not Verena's._

_And then he was kissing her, and her cold body was on fire, the heat of his warming her. She threaded her fingers into his hair and clung to him. He crushed her body to his. She didn't stop to consider that she didn't know what she was doing; he knew. It was enough. He tasted good. And he was so warm, so alive._

_An anguished growl ripped from his throat as he kissed her, and her body tingled at the sound, aroused. He was hungry for this, and she wasn't above taking advantage. She knew his passion could fade as quickly as it had come on and push her away from him, rejecting her. She had to act now._

_She pulled her face away from his, harder to do than she would have thought. He tried to pull her back to him, but she resisted, and looked into his eyes. They were feverish. She felt some power stir inside her, and she commanded him, "Mine."_

_He only nodded, and she surrendered herself to him, allowing him to pull her back down against him. She let herself be lost in his arms._

She moaned, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. She wanted him. She wanted to rip his heart out and she wanted to kiss him. She didn't care which order she did it in. Her fingernails dug deeper into his arm, but he showed no sign of feeling any pain. She growled. It was an unimpressive threat, but it was all she had.

"Stop the truck," she growled again.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" He asked, his voice tight. His face was still concerned, but he was losing patience.

"I want to ride back there," she spat, gesturing towards the BMW being towed behind them.

He obeyed, pulling the truck over to the shoulder and breaking more sharply than necessary.

She hopped out before the truck could stop completely and slammed the door behind her. She would have liked to be able to say she stalked her way to the car, but in reality it was more of a fast paced limp. Her leg burned.

She pulled her set of keys from her pocket, nearly dropping her phone in the process, and unlocked the back door. With a quick glare towards the back of Mike's head – she was a little relieved to see he no longer glowed – she yanked the door open and threw herself across the backseat. He didn't even wait for her to close the door behind her before he hit the gas again. The forward motion of the car pulled the door shut.

She fumed and popped her head over the front seat to take a look at him. She met his eyes in his rear view mirror. His jaw was set, angry.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed.

"Yes?" He spoke into the phone, after picking up his end.

"Why are you mad at me?" She asked him. He had no right to be mad at her. She hadn't done anything wrong. He was the one who... well, she was the one who should be angry. Not him!

"I'm not mad at you."

"Yes you are."

"I'm frustrated, not mad." He said, eying her from the mirror. "You need to calm down."

"I'm perfectly calm!" She hissed into the phone, outraged. "Stop looking at me."

She flipped the phone closed and watched him. Five minutes passed, and he didn't look into the mirror again. She opened the phone and dialed.

"Alyx..." he sighed into the phone. "I'm tired. I don't want to fight with you."

"You won't even look at me," she spoke in a breathy whisper. "Feeling guilty?"

"Guilty for what? You told me to stop looking at you." She could see his jaw clench in the mirror.

She wanted to tell him everything, but she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She was angry; she understood that. She just wasn't sure why she was angry. A number of reasons presented themselves as obvious choices, but she didn't like any of them. Besides, more strongly than anger, she felt alone. She wanted to be comforted. She wanted _him_.

"You could come back here and sit with me," she offered, her tone suddenly mellow. She could see him looking at her in the mirror again, his brow furrowed.

"Can't drive from back there."

"Oh yeah..." She slumped back in her seat. "I don't want you anyway."

"Are you going to tell me what you're upset about?" He asked calmly.

"Is there anything _not_ to be upset about? If my life gets any more interesting, maybe you can kill me too!" She snapped the phone shut and lay down.

Her phone rang. She threw it against the front windshield, where it bounced unharmed into the front seat. The truck ahead slowed immediately and she was tossed against the front seat. She sat up and watched as he pulled over and stopped abruptly, then stepped out of the truck. His eyebrows were pulled down over narrowed eyes, his jaw set, and hands clenched. His shoulders were hunched forward slightly, giving him an intimidating pose.

She slammed her hand down over the door lock and scrambled to the other side of the car, panting in fear. He unlocked the door and pulled it open, then sat down, glowering at her. She pressed herself against the opposite door, staring at him warily.

He watched her, his glare turning to surprised confusion, then turning angry again. He very nearly roared at her, "You think I'm going to hurt you?"

She shook her head slightly, but didn't relax her pose. "You _look_ like you'd like to."

"I'd like to shake you and put you over my knee. Aside from the obvious, what is _wrong_ with you? I'm used to not knowing what the hell you're thinking. I can handle that. What I want to know is why you're acting like you want to rip my head off." He leaned toward her, growling.

She dropped down to her knees on the seat and got in his face, glaring back at him. But it was with a soft voice that she spoke. "You said the blood would make me act funny."

"Bullshit," he said. "This isn't the blood."

She sat back and composed herself with a deep breath. "You're right, I'm pissed off. Why didn't you tell me you killed my sister?"

His eyes widened slightly, the anger draining from his suddenly paling face. "You remembered something?"

"No, I saw something." She crossed her arms and waited for his excuses.

"It was an accident, baby." He nearly whispered.

She rolled her eyes. "I know that. Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"I've been trying my best not to freak you out about anything. You don't trust me now; how was that going to look? You'd still be trying to run away from me."

"Maybe..." She said grudgingly. "I'm trying to trust you. Don't _lie_ to me."

"I didn't lie to you. I omitted."

"Omit something like that again, and you'll wake up without that goatee, mustache, and one of your eyebrows."

"Fair enough..." he frowned. "We good now?"

"I still feel pissed off. I just don't know why." She peered at him, her eyes turning curious. "Kind of a rip off for a first kiss. You didn't even touch me."

"Lost me again."

She grinned and shrugged.

--

The night was still young when they reached Albuquerque's city limits. There was enough time, barely, for them to still reach Flagstaff – so long as Mike was willing to risk a speeding ticket – but Alyxandra was still restless and was having trouble sitting still for so long.

The short distance they'd traveled had taken quite a bit longer than it should have. Every half hour or so, Alyxandra had felt the need to get out of the car and stretch her legs. The excuses she'd given Mike so that he'd pull over had gotten ridiculous enough that he'd eventually agreed to stop every so many miles without her having to ask. It kept her from insisting she needed to use the bathroom, and it kept him from throttling her.

"I hate sauerkraut," Mike grumbled to himself when they passed the sign welcoming them into the city. Alyxandra waited for him to explain, but he kept further odd opinions to himself.

He pulled into the underground parking lot of a hotel that was at least as upscale as the one she'd stayed at in Amarillo, and at least four times as large. It was positioned in the heart of the city, surrounded by hotels advertising lesser room rates than she imagined this grand hotel offered.

"Fancy," she commented. "Got money to burn, huh?"

"We're comfortable," he replied absently as he pulled their bags – she'd claimed one of his now that she had something to pack – from the back of the truck.

"Got me a rich guard dog. Woo for me!" She giggled. "So what do I do?"

"Get into trouble," he opened one of the bags and pulled out a long, dark grey coat.

"Thanks. But I assume I had to drop out of college? I never went back or anything? I don't work? There's got to be something I do."

He handed her the coat and grinned. "No, you mostly just get into trouble and keep me busy getting you out of trouble. Sometimes you mix things up and get me into trouble instead. You never went back to school... I'd hate to see how that would turn out. Would you ghoul the teachers or just eat them? And the students who scored better than you? I'd probably have to enroll just to keep an eye on you."

"Tyrant." She looked at the coat and frowned. "It's hot. What am I supposed to do with this?"

"It'll cover your leg up," he took the coat from her again and helped her into it. It came down to below her knees and hid the rip in her jeans perfectly, as well as the bloody punctures. It was also a number of sizes too large, making it an awkward fit, and the sleeves were far too long for her arms. It would have to do; she only had to wear it until they reached their hotel room.

"I'm sorry if I've been annoying. I'm kind of hyper." She bounced on the balls of her feet and giggled again.

"I noticed," he chuckled. "But at least you're not trying to bite my head off anymore. You'll be fine. Grab that first aid kit, will ya?"

Alyxandra took the red medical kit warily, hoping fervently that vampires didn't require stitches.

Gathering the other bags in one hand, Mike wrapped his free arm around Alyxandra's waist. She leaned into him and offered a pleased smile as he helped her limp to the elevator and then up to the lobby. She could have managed on her own, but she was happy to accept his help.

She didn't pay much attention as Mike checked them in. The lobby of the hotel was more like that of a corporate headquarters than any hotel she'd seen before. She glanced around and wondered if she'd happen upon another of her kind here as well, and wondered with a grin what one would think, seeing her with a werewolf on her arm.

She turned around sharply to face the front desk at hearing Mike request a double. "Single," she snapped at one of the desk clerks.

The clerk gave Mike a questioning look and he shrugged. Alyxandra glared at both of them.

--

"Strip," Mike told Alyxandra as soon as they reached their room.

She gaped at him. "When I said I wanted a single, I didn't mean..."

He frowned at her. "I want to clean your leg."

"Oh." She would have blushed if she knew how. And then she'd have blushed again when he helped her out of her jeans.

He placed a towel under her leg and uncapped a bottle of peroxide from the first aid kit.

"This is probably going to sting," he warned before tipping the bottle over her wounds.

She sucked in a breath as soon as the liquid hit, but there was very little discomfort. Each puncture bubbled and foamed as the peroxide filled them.

"Doesn't look so bad," Mike commented after patting her leg dry with another towel. He prodded at her leg, which caused more discomfort than the peroxide, but deemed the wounds minor enough that they wouldn't need further attention.

"I'm never going to get to sleep." Alyxandra scooted herself closer to Mike and he put an arm around her.

"It's still early." He kissed the top of her head and she grinned, feeling giddy. "But I think we're both probably more tired than we feel. I'm going to shower."

She nodded, and then the next thing she knew, she was drowsily opening her eyes as Mike climbed into bed.

She stretched, then paused, looking down at herself. She shot Mike a startled look. "You undressed me."

"You were asleep, babe. I only took your shirt off so you'd be more comfortable. Don't worry, I was a good boy."

"Great, I sleep through you taking my clothes off, but I wake up as soon as you lie down next to me." She grabbed the teeshirt he'd given her and pulled it over her head, feeling too exposed in just her underwear. She unclasped her bra and slid it out from under the shirt.

"I'm a gentleman," he mumbled around a yawn.

"Lech," she rolled her eyes and slipped under the covers beside him.

He grinned, but didn't defend his innocence.

She rolled over towards him and rested her head on his shoulder, pulling her body up close to his. "You're warm," she murmured and closed her eyes.

He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, but she was already asleep.

--

Mike drifted slowly awake and stretched, or at least attempted to do so. Alyxandra still slept pressed against him, her head resting on his shoulder and an arm curled over his chest. He gently rolled her limp form away, freeing himself. He wasn't afraid to wake her, it was nearly impossible to do so. It was often said of the dead that they appeared merely to be sleeping. For Alyxandra, her sleeping form appeared to be dead. She was cool to the touch and unless caught in a dream, she did not stir. She may have denied it, most likely vehemently, but she truly did sleep like the dead.

Sleeping with a corpse in his arms didn't disturb Mike. If it ever had, he couldn't remember feeling that way. At least she didn't snore, nor complain when he did.

He brushed her hair from her face and rested his fingers lightly against her cheek as he watched her sleep. She felt alive, her deathly pale, but soft skin warming slightly beneath his touch. He traced along her jawline with his fingertips and then brushed them lightly over her lips. It had been nearly a week since he'd kissed those lips, which he thought, was probably a record for them. They'd never been apart for more than a few nights; not since the day they met.

He buried his nose into her hair and took a deep breath. The faint smell of death was there, but mostly there was just the pleasant scent of _her_, comforting and familiar. He growled. She hadn't showered yet, so he could also smell the scent of the werewolf she'd killed. He needed to do something about that...

With a heavy sigh, he dragged his tired ass out of bed. It was late afternoon and he had a few phone calls to make. Certainly Albuquerque had a Glass Walker presence that could take out the pack infesting the state park. If not, there would likely be another tribe willing to do the honors.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Near sunset, Mike climbed back into bed to wait for Alyxandra to wake up. She'd moved slightly from the position he'd left her in, and when he tucked his arm beneath her head and pulled her close, she twitched in her sleep. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head slightly before becoming still again. He wondered what she might be dreaming of, then reconsidered. He was probably better off not knowing.

She awoke with a gasp and a shudder, her dream leaving her wide eyed. When their eyes met, she smiled contentedly and relaxed. "Good morning," she sighed, "or... you know what I mean."

"We should have some fun tonight. What do you think?" He had a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Not sure I can handle any more _fun_."

"The good kind of fun, love. It's the fourth of July. I found a flier in the lobby for a show they're putting on at some park."

Her face brightened. "I love fireworks."

"I know you do," he said, taking her hand in his and placing it over his heart. "They start shooting off in about an hour. We'd have plenty of time to make it to Flagstaff afterwards, and... I think we could use the distraction. Pretend our lives are boring for a couple of hours."

"How far is Flagstaff?"

"Four or five hours."

She groaned. "I ruined things last night. We could have been home by tomorrow."

"It's just one day. What's the hurry?"

"I don't know."

"I _will_ bite you," he growled into her ear, making her giggle. "I'll buy you some sparklers."

"White ones?"

"Mm-hm," he murmured.

Giggling again, Alyxandra twisted around in Mike's arms until she was facing him. His pulse quickened, happy just to see her happy again. She gave him an odd look, and for a second he thought she was going to nip his chin; it was something she often did when she was feeling playful. The moment passed awkwardly, and the next instant she looked embarrassed and was untangling herself from his arms and the bed covers.

"I need to shower first. I feel gross." She grabbed up her bag and all but ran to the bathroom.

--

Traffic was a nightmare anywhere near the park. They'd had to park the BMW - the Humvee was left behind at the hotel for the moment – nearly a half mile away and hoof it along with a steadily growing flow of pedestrian traffic. A decent sized crowd milled around at a street corner, waiting to cross over to the park. A harried police officer directed traffic, allowing the crowd to thin every so often and make its way across.

Alyxandra was still in high spirits, and Mike thought she seemed nearly like her old self. Undisturbed by the mass of people around them, she twirled in circles, playing with her skirt, laughing when it twirled with her. She was most likely getting on the nerves of those immediately nearby, but she paid them no mind. The ruby eyelet lace top she wore clung to her in ways that, along with the twirling skirt, caught the attention of more than one eye. Mike had to glare down one idiot who seemed to be enjoying the show a little too much. He wasn't jealous, but he was territorial.

No, Mike wasn't one to feel jealousy. He never had been, and it was probably a good thing, when your wife so often had to seduce her way to a meal. Nor was he exactly possessive, but he was overly protective. With his wife's knack for getting into trouble, it was a necessity. He knew she could take care of herself, and she seemed to have a gift for managing to escape those troubles unscathed. Still, he vigilant. Sometimes she could be downright oblivious.

Alyxandra stopped to watch the police officer, her eyes narrowing. When the officer turned to wave another swarm of pedestrians across the street, their eyes met for the briefest moment. Her smile slipped and her expression turned serious.

Mike took her arm to cross the street, but she planted her feet firmly and shook her head.

"He's going to get us all in the middle of the street, then he'll let loose all those cars on us." She pursed her lips and eyed the officer again. "We'll be nothing but bloody scrapes beneath their wheels. I don't think it'll be any fun. We don't even know where they're going."

Mike tugged her arm gently, "Nobody's getting run over. Let's go."

"Fine, but when my scrape ends up in Alaska and yours ends up in Florida, don't complain to me about long distance relationships."

"I don't know, Florida could be fun." He pulled her along with him across the street while she kept her eyes on the officer.

"Coward," she muttered after the office once they were safely on the opposite sidewalk.

The band which was due to play during the fireworks display hadn't arrived yet, and one of the local radio stations pumped out their music to the crowd, though you could barely hear it. The general atmosphere was one of contagious excitement and celebration. Alyxandra's mood picked up again, and Mike allowed her to pull him along after her as she wove her way through the concession stands and game stalls. It was nearly a carnival, only lacking the rides.

She passed by the beer garden without a glance, which was fine with Mike as he didn't drink much. She tried to pass by a tent full of antique roadsters, but was pulled short when he turned to take a look. Wriggling impatiently, she pressed herself against him and nipped his forearm. Sufficiently distracted by the bite, he was pulled away and they were off again.

"I don't see sparklers," she complained.

"No..." he looked around, but neither saw them for sale anywhere nor anyone playing with them. "Settle for some glow sticks? I promise to get you sparklers when we get back home."

She looked confused at his mention of home, then irritated when she seemed to realize which home he meant. She sighed, "No. Let's find a place on the lawn to watch."

He was towed along again as she raced forward, zipping through the throng.

The football field sized area of grass was tightly packed with thousands upon thousands of bodies. They picked their way through to a small opening and claimed their seats. Mike wrapped an arm around Alyxandra's shoulders and she leaned into him. Her breathing changed, becoming less natural and more strained. He knew she couldn't possibly need to feed, but searched her face for the telltale signs that she might be losing control. She often became overly excited in a crowd, and he didn't want to risk her exposing herself in front of so many people; though none were likely to notice a pair of fangs on one member of their number. Her eyes were on the sky, waiting for the show to begin. She looked excited, but in control of herself. He relaxed a little and pulled her closer.

Two small fireworks shot into the air and the crowd applauded, but they were only test shots. Alyxandra grinned, and somewhere behind them the band started their sound check. After a few more minutes of waiting, another firework burst into the sky, a brilliant shower of red. The band immediately picked up. The ground beneath them thrummed with the heavy beat and he heard Alyxandra gasp. The sky was full of red, white, and blue sparkles. Mike felt pleased with himself for having thought to bring her to the display.

Mike turned his head to sneak her shoulder a kiss, but paused at the unexpected look on Alyxandra's face. Her eyes were wide, but she no longer watched the sky. A look of shock was frozen on her face and her mouth gaped as she gasped for breath. She held a trembling hand to her chest.

"Hun?" He asked, having to yell for her to hear him.

Her eyes took on a look of wonder and she grasped his hand and replaced hers over her dead heart.

"Do you feel that?" She shouted at him and rose to her knees.

He shook his head, confused. She pushed his hand away, frustrated.

"You!" She launched herself forward and grabbed the shoulder of the man sitting in front of her.

Mike tensed in reflex, ready to have to restrain his wife in case she attacked the startled man. She grabbed the man's hand as she'd done with Mike and pressed it to her breast.

"I have a heartbeat!" She nearly screamed at him, grinning widely in excitement.

He blinked at her, unsure what to make of the odd situation. The young woman sitting beside him turned to glare back at Alyxandra.

"Can you feel it?" Alyxandra asked. "Can I feel yours?"

"No!" The young woman screeched at her and yanked her companion's hand away. She shot Alyxandra an infuriated look before smacking her friend's shoulder.

Alyxandra turned her attention away from them as they started to argue. She grabbed Mike again, eyes wild.

"Baby, it's just the music." Mike tried to explain as she began moving her hand over his chest. Dissatisfied with whatever she found, she nearly climbed into his lap in order to press her ear to his chest.

Mike chuckled, and when the young woman in front of them turned a cold glare on him, he offered her a toothy grin. She shuddered and turned her attention away.

Alyxandra wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face under his chin. She was shaking with laughter. He put his arms around her, but she writhed under his hands and popped her head back up again to rest her lips against his ear.

"The earth is throbbing," she breathed into his ear. "I can feel it in my blood."

"It's just the music," he told her again and she bit his ear painfully, while laughing.

She'd bitten him hard enough to draw blood; he could feel it welling up. Before it could drip down to his shoulder, she licked the wound and the sharp pain vanished along with the damage she'd inflicted.

He glanced around, but nobody was paying attention to them.

"You're missing the fireworks," he tried to refocus her attention. She only shook her head.

"Am not," she hissed. She clawed his back through his shirt and he growled. Before he could make another attempt at persuading her to watch the fireworks - however half-hearted that attempt would be - she was pressing her mouth against his.

She grabbed a fistful of his hair, locking him in place. It was unnecessary, he had no intention of escaping. He returned the kiss and tightened his arms around her, forcing the air from her lungs. She gasped and he loosened his rib crushing grip by a hair and she growled before kissing him again. She kept her eyes open, watching him as he watched her. He expected that at any moment she could pull away from him again and blame him for her outburst. Instead she ran her tongue over his lips, tasting him. She pulled back to shoot him a falsely innocent smile, marred only by the fact that he could see the tips of her fangs forcing her jaw open slightly. She ran her nose just under his jawline, breathing in deeply.

"You smell like fire," she moaned into his ear, then returned to his mouth. This time, she pulled his lower lip into her mouth and bit down, sinking her fangs into his flesh. He growled again, which only encouraged her, and she drew out a thin trickle of blood before retracting her fangs. She ran her tongue over the wound, but when he met her tongue with his own, she jerked her head back. He tried to kiss her again, but she slapped a hand over his mouth and gave him a stern look.

She slipped off his lap and he sighed; though whether in frustration or relief he couldn't say. They had started to attract attention, and the couple sitting behind them snickered. Alyxandra picked up his hand and turned her attention to the fireworks, a smile playing over her lips. He leaned over to give her that kiss on her shoulder.

Her eyes didn't stray from the fireworks again, and he tried to pay attention as well, but she'd done well in distracting him, and so he watched her as much as he did the show.

When the final burst of fireworks filled the sky, dozens of the things blossoming in a rainbow of colors, the crowd erupted into applause for the second time. Mike stood up, pulling Alyxandra to her feet. He needed the restroom. It was his turn to tow her behind him, making their way through the dispersing mob.

"Wait here for me. I need to use the head." He sat her down on a bench within view of the restrooms.

"Whose head?" She asked. "I want to play with a head too."

"Just stay here. Don't move." He left her behind to pout, and got in line.

The line moved quickly, but when he exited the restroom, Alyxandra was not where he'd left her. The bench wasn't vacant, but his wife was nowhere to be seen. He scanned the area and found a blonde head a dozen paces away.

Alyxandra was deep in conversation with another man. Their bodies were close as they faced each other, and he held her chin in his hand, his fingers stroking her jaw as he spoke to her. Her face was tilted upwards, her rapt attention focused on his. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted. She didn't breath.

Mike growled. There was something wholly wrong with the scene. He didn't recognize the man. He was tall, dark haired, with skin only a shade darker than Alyxandra's. He was dressed well, but casually, and all in black. Mike estimated his age somewhere between mid to late twenties. Something about him made his skin crawl.

As Mike approached, the stranger turned to look at him. He made as if to tip his hat, but he wasn't wearing one. Grinning, the man flashed a set of fangs. Mike quickened his pace.

The stranger turned back to Alyxandra and visibly tightened his hold on her jaw. He said something to her before releasing her suddenly. He shook his fist towards the ground and strode away. Mike watched as he literally vanished into the crowd. Nobody else seemed to notice the man who suddenly was no longer among them, but Mike had seen the trick performed before. Alyxandra was quite talented at obfuscation.

"Reeking leech," Mike snarled. He looked Alyxandra over quickly to make sure she hadn't been harmed. He could smell blood. It was familiar, but he couldn't place it.

She stood still as he checked her over, but she looked confused.

"What did he do to you?" He demanded. He wasn't sure why he was as upset as he was. Something just wasn't right.

"We were talking," she frowned, then took a step back when Mike began sniffing the air around her.

"Did you feed on him? I smell his blood." He knelt down. There were a few drops of blood on the ground. He knew that scent.

"No." She crossed her arms defensively. "We were only talking."

He looked up at her. "What did he want?"

She glared down at him, then turned her face upwards. "I don't know. I can't remember what he said."

Mike sighed and stood up again. He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned his forehead down against hers.

"What do you remember about your sire?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. "Kinda have a memory issue there, remember?"

"Yeah..." he dropped his arms to his side. "Wasn't thinking."

She watched him, puzzled, but with an amused smile.

"That was the same stinking leech I smelled on you that night you came home all messed up. I think I know who he is."

She giggled, "Maybe he's the boogeyman."

"Maybe he's your sire."

She shrugged, unconcerned. "I don't know. I didn't recognize him."

"I'd think you'd be a little more interested." Mike forced himself to calm down. He wanted to hunt the vampire down and tear his head off, but even if he managed to track the bloodsucker down in this chaos, he wouldn't be able to do anything with so many witnesses.

Alyxandra had her eyes closed and she swayed gently, listening to something only in her head. Mike had to give her arm a tug in order to get her attention again. She smiled up at him and placed a hand on his chest.

"I smell water. Let's go play with the fish. I want to see if I can feel their hearts beating."

"Not right now," Mike took her hand and pulled her into the stream of people heading out of the park.

--

Alyxandra was unhappy. The Humvee kept her separated from Mike by a number of feet, and holding hands grew uncomfortable after a while. Besides, holding hands was small comfort. What she wanted was to curl up at his side and breathe in his scent. The warmth radiating off his body teased her. She wanted to feel him; wanted that warmth for herself.

She was also frustrated with Mike's lack of enthusiasm. He was reserved, almost cool to her. Here she was, finally receptive to his attention, and he was holding out on her.

"What's wrong, babe?" He asked her, sensing her frustration.

"My head is full of whispers," she complained sulkily. "You should pull over so you can listen with me."

"Can't stop if you want to make it to Flagstaff tonight."

She sighed.

"I'm sorry you're bored," he gave her hand a squeeze.

"Not bored... too many thoughts to be bored. I want to stretch my legs and fly." She shot him a dark look. "Tether me to your wrist and keep me warm."

"I'll never let anything hurt you," he promised, misunderstanding her.

"No..." she whispered, then grinned nastily. "Swaddle me safe as a babe, but the woodwose will still appear, club in claw, and he'll have his fun."

Mike had to think that one over. "Big hairy guy? Nah, I can take him."

She snickered and he winked at her, but she quickly quieted and grew serious.

"Are there a lot of us out there? They seem to keep popping up."

"A lot? I don't know if I'd say a lot. They're out there. More Kindred than Garou, but if you look hard enough, you can pretty much find both everywhere."

She nodded, mulling this over. "So far my vampires seem less awful than your werewolves. Present company notwithstanding, of course."

"Sure, most any Garou's going to take your head as soon as look at you, but don't let your guard down around the vamps either. Power mad, vindictive bunch of black souled parasites, most of them. You need to be careful."

"It's funny," Alyxandra toyed with the hem of her skirt. "You really don't seem to like vampires. And yet here you are. Do I usually share a like opinion of... let's see... flea-ridden mongrels?"

"Bah, you can do better than that. No, I don't in general like leeches. I can deal with them, and I do more often than I'd like. And no, you don't share a like opinion. You've got an unhealthy obsession for my kind. The fact that you have such an obsession and are still alive is a testament to your astounding good luck."

"But you like this leech," she smiled cheerfully.

"Yes, but you're _my_ leech. Besides," he said, leering at her, "you're hot."

She snorted. "Oh yes, so very hot."

"Sure," he grinned. "And I'll never need to trade you in for a newer model."

"Right... vampiric trophy wives. It'll be the next big thing to hit Corporate America."

"Guess I'm just a trend setter."

--

"Oh, cabin rentals!" Alyxandra pointed to a sign on the highway shortly after entering Flagstaff. "Can we do that instead of a hotel?"

"I don't think you can just rent a cabin for the day."

"Sure you can, my mom used to rent cabins in Big Bear some weekends and she'd drag me and Verena up there with her. It was fun."

Mike wasn't convinced, but turned off the highway at the exit noted on the sign. As it turned out, the 'cabins' turned out to be a semicircle of small buildings, which did resemble cabins, but had the feel of a motor lodge. The office displayed a neon vacancy sign in the window above an open sign. He pulled into the visitor parking, taking up several spaces.

"Be right back," he said before venturing into the office. A few minutes later he reappeared, dangling a gold key from his hand. Alyxandra clapped her hands.

The cabin wasn't half bad, certainly better than expected. It was small, with only two rooms, but it was cozy. The wood paneled walls of the bedroom/living space matched the scarred wood flooring. A stretch of white linoleum separated a small kitchenette and breakfast table from the rest of the room. There was a fireplace in the corner, though there was no wood in evidence for burning. The furnishings were tasteful in a country cottage style. It was a little corny, but it was comfortable, and it was a nice change from the parade of hotel rooms they'd subjected themselves to.

Alyxandra knocked the bags from Mike's hands and pounced on him. Caught by surprise, he barely managed to catch her before she landed on the floor. She wrapped her legs around his hips and clawed his shoulders, positioning herself for attack. He met her halfway and entangled his hand in her hair, the other wrapped around her waist. Their urgent kisses were bruising and left them both gasping for breath. This time, when he found her tongue, she didn't deny him a taste of her.

She clawed his backside for the second time that evening, this time leaving behind angry, red ribbons to mark her efforts. A growl reverberated through his chest as he slammed her into the wall, flattening her body against his. She hissed, exposing her fangs, but she did not do so in complaint. He took advantage of his fistful of hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. He ran his tongue up her jugular and she shuddered. Kissing the hallow of her throat, he worked his way to her shoulder and bit down, hard enough to bruise but not break the skin.

When she moaned, he buried her face in her neck and groaned. She jumped, startled, when he released his hold on her hair and slammed his fist into the wall. He cursed loudly. There was a brick wall hiding behind that wood paneling.

The startled confusion on her face turned to fury when he unhooked her legs and set her on the floor.

"We shouldn't do this." He grumbled sourly.

"Why the hell not?" She asked, ready to claw her way back to her perch.

"Because, when you're yourself again, I don't know how you'll feel about it. You'll either think it's hilarious or you'll claw my eyes out for _cheating_ on you."

"That's absurd. I'll claw _her_ eyes out. You're _mine_," she growled.

"She's..." he cursed under his breath. "You... you say that now. But when you remember, I'll have to pay for this."

"Do you want me?"

"I always want you."

"Then I'm yours. We have to share this body. We'll just have to share you too." She grinned, and this time their lips met is a far more gentle kiss.

"Should get that in writing," he laughed around her lips.

"Just take it easy with me. I'm a virgin, you know."

He snickered in her ear and together they proved her wrong.


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The sound of crying pulled Mike awake. He stretched his arm out to where Alyxandra should have been sleeping beside him, but her side of the bed was empty.

"Hun?" He called, voice thick with sleep. He groped for the light on the bedside table. Even in the middle of the afternoon, the room was nearly pitch black. He'd been as thorough as always with the windows, and no light escaped through.

"We broke the lamp," Alyxandra reminded him in a whisper from somewhere near the foot of the bed.

He slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchenette, where he'd find the light switch. He made his way gingerly... the lamp hadn't been the only thing they'd broken. He was going to get stuck with a hefty fine on his gold card.

The dim light came on, exposing her huddled on the floor at the foot of the bed. Bloody tears stained her cheeks as well as her leg, where it looked like she'd been picking at the slowly healing wounds.

"I'm not a Hun," she looked up at him. "I'm not even a warrior."

"Baby..." Mike grabbed a towel from the kitchenette and knelt beside her. He wiped the freshest of her tears away. "What's wrong? You should be sleeping."

"Can't sleep... can't think. Everything is broken. Nothing matches; can't make sense of it. I don't know how to fit the pieces together. They keep changing the rules." She took his hand and pressed it to her naked breast. "This body doesn't speak."

"I happen to be rather attached to that body, with or without a beating heart. And I would hate to see you hurt yourself." He took her hands in his before she could do further harm. "The pieces will come together."

"I don't want to break. All my pieces are drifting and I can't push them together again. Do you see the shards of glass? The shattered mirror lies to me and my reflection a thousand times mocks my memories." She showed him the palms of her hands, but whatever she thought he should find there eluded him.

"You can piece together a broken vase with super glue, but no matter how well you hide the damage, the vase is still broken." He kissed the palms of her hands and sighed. "Eventually the glue is going to weaken and the pieces are going to fall apart again. You're not breaking, baby. You're just coming unglued."

She stared at him, face blank. "You're a little messed up in the head, aren't you?"

He chuckled and kissed her lips softly, "I love you."

"I know," she said simply. "You told me about fifty times earlier today."

He smiled warmly. "Yes, but I meant it every time."

Mike wet the towel at the kitchen sink and cleaned away the blood from her leg. She'd reopened every last one of the punctures, but it was no worse than it had been as a fresh wound. She remained silent as he helped her back to bed. He doubted he'd be able to get back to sleep again, but he lay with her until her breathing stopped and she slept peacefully again.

--

"You bit my butt," Alyxandra complained when Mike finally managed to wake her up after nightfall. He was eager to be on their way and she'd slept in unusually late.

"A few times," he gave her leg a tug, playfully attempting to coax her out of bed, but she scurried away and dove under the covers again. "Of all the places I bit you, you bring that one up?"

"Mean."

"It's a guy thing." He yanked the covers off the bed and tossed them on the floor. "I'm hungry. If you don't get up and get dressed, I'll just drag you outside as you are."

She shot him a nasty look as she picked up her skirt and red top. "I put out and you turn mean."

"Food..." he growled, but kissed her softly on the back of her neck when she bent over to put her shoes on. "I couldn't leave to get anything. Don't think you'd have liked what happened if I'd opened the door to leave."

Once they'd repacked and loaded the truck, Mike headed straight for a fast food restaurant with an open late night drive-though.

"I always feel like an ass for not asking if you want something," he laughed.

"Can't think of anything I'd ask for that they'd be happy to part with."

"Probably not." He handed the gum-popping teenager at the window a twenty.

"Are you looking forward to seeing California?" Alyxandra smiled and tried to avoid the awkward silence she imagined might descent over them if she didn't make conversation. Mike seemed totally at ease, but her middle was tied into knots.

"No," he took his change and pulled the truck up to the next window, leaving the teenager to blink in dimwitted confusion at the BMW being towed behind them. "I hate Los Angeles. Hate the people, hate the city, hate the smog and filth. Ventura's not as bad, but the people still suck."

"Thought you said you had friends there?"

"We both do, but we have plenty of enemies too."

She sighed. "What about family?"

He arched an eyebrow at her before turning to take his food and pull back out onto the highway.

"Besides me." She rolled her eyes.

"Nope... not really. Probably some I don't know about, those that I do know of would prefer I didn't."

"That's sad."

Mike shrugged. "That's life. You've met my sister before... briefly. Seen her at least. She'd sooner try and kill either of us before attending a family reunion. At least, that's the way she wants it to look. Then there's her son... never met him but I doubt he'd be thrilled to see me either. So besides you, only family I care about is Alex. He's not really my nephew, but I sort of adopted him anyway. He's a good kid. Didn't know he was kinfolk till he ran into some Garou down in St. Louis. When he didn't suffer the delirium after seeing one shift, they took him in for a while."

Alyxandra wrinkled her nose. She still didn't know why she didn't like Alexander, but she felt irritated just hearing his name. "Why does your sister hate us?"

"Shadelyn's got a pretty messed up past. She was kinfolk like Alex; but she grew up at a sept in California so she was in the know. When she was fifteen some asshole Get knocked her up. The Get can be picky about their mates, so I don't why he wanted her. Nothing against her, she's just not really the type they go for. And she wasn't interested either. Besides, she was just a kid. He raped her and nobody did a damned thing about it. She ended up leaving and left the baby behind. From what I hear, the kid grew up to be just like daddy.

"Well, Shade was bent on getting revenge. But there wasn't much she could do, so she stewed for a while. All those years of hate... not healthy, you know? She ended up meeting some vamp that was willing to made a trade; her life for the information she could provide... knowledge of Garou workings and such. As she saw it, becoming a vamp gave her the means to get her revenge. She did get it eventually. Skinned the bastard that raped her. Course, now her kid and just about every other Garou out there has her on their hit list. She's a nasty piece of work though. Ended up joining up with the Sabbat and rumor has it she's doing well for herself. She's quite a bit older than me, so she's been around longer than you. But she's still young for a vamp."

Alyxandra whistled. "You just can't get away from us, can you?"

"Could..." he grinned, "but I'd hate to have to kill own sister. I should; it's the expected thing to do. But she's never gotten in my way, so I figure I'll return the favor."

"You'd still be stuck with me anyway," she giggled.

"Changed your tune, haven't you?"

She shrugged.

"I'm not complaining," he winked at her.

"I think I want to see my parents," Alyxandra bit her lip and glanced at Mike from the corner of her eye.

"Don't you think that'd be a little cruel?" Mike asked, but received no reply. "I'm sure they've accepted by now that their daughters are gone. Think of how it might mess them up to see you. And you haven't aged. You think they wouldn't notice something was wrong?"

"They wouldn't have to see me. I wouldn't even have to talk to them. I just want to _see_ them."

"We'll see."

"I don't see the harm," she argued. "They wouldn't even know."

"I don't know," he said. "I'm not trying to be an ass, but it's not a good idea. I'm just trying to protect you."

She rolled her eyes and slumped in her seat, not feeling like talking anymore.

"I'm sorry baby." Mike held his hand out to her, but she turned her back on him and stared out the window.

Alyxandra snickered suddenly, her mood changing in a matter of seconds. "We should hoist Canadian flags up all the flagpoles and tell the mayor they've declared war. Then we could dress the local police up as Mounties and tell them to guard the mayoral mansion. I'm sure we could incite a riot or form a mob to try and overtake the media."

"I'm sure the resident prince would love that." Mike glanced over at his wife and offered a half-smile. "You could add another state that you're not allowed to step foot in."

"There's royalty present? That could only raise the tension." She thought over her idea for a moment before frowning. "What state?"

"You're no longer welcome in Savannah, Georgia. You attended a clan meeting there a few years ago and... no Malkavian is permitted within the city limits anymore. You demanded responsibility for the incident, even though I don't think you were even present for whatever prank got pulled, and you were kindly asked to leave the state. You probably would have gotten worse, but nobody believed you were responsible, and the prince knew you weren't."

She giggled then looked cross. "What's with this prince?"

"Kindred government of sorts. It's what you call the vamp that runs a city."

"Oh..." She tapped a finger against her lips. "We could substitute the mayor with the prince."

"Not today."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It's not nearly creative enough. We could convince the elderly population that they only know how to speak Pig Latin or in tongue if they're religious. Or whatever it's called."

"Maybe we should save that kind of fun for after you've got your memory back, huh?"

"What makes you think I'll ever get it back?" She asked as she rolled down her window.

"I'm confident you'll get it back, even if I have to turn a vamp into a sun catcher to see it happen."

"Hey!" She screamed as they passed a roadside bar, gaining the attention of a few rough looking men standing beside their bikes out front. "My boyfriend says bikers are pussies!"

"Alyx," Mike growled.

She giggled and turned around in her seat to see if any of them followed.

--

Mike was fighting the beginnings of a nasty headache by the time they crossed into California. Alyxandra had calmed down again as the landscape became more and more familiar to her, but she'd spent a solid three hours trying to convince him that they should find and visit the French embassy and have the prince of Savannah thrown out of the country for crimes against humanity. He didn't even think said prince had been born out of the country. When she'd given up on that, she'd moved on to plotting a way to convince the kindred of Southern California that she was, indeed, one of the Ventrue.

"You've been there babe," he'd told her. "You very nearly had a blood hunt called on you. The only thing that saved you was the Malkavian primogen claiming temporary responsibility for you. When you left Los Angeles and moved back home to Ventura, you had to accept your place in your rightful clan. You are not Ventrue."

"That makes no sense though. The fang gang that was feeling me out were Ventrue. I never met anyone from any other clan. I didn't even know there were others." Alyxandra nodded to herself and grinned. "Besides, you're the crazy one. There's nothing wrong with me."

Mike grunted. "Sure, sure... Your childer were all perfectly sane too. Especially the one who thought you were his _real_ mother even though he was nearly twice your age and insisted you make him pancakes every night, regardless of the fact he couldn't _eat_ them. Only thing I liked about him was how he wet himself every time I growled at him. He'd actually run for a glass of water and toss it on his groin, then curl into a ball and cry."

"I have kids? Cool... where are they?"

"Three, and they're all dead. You don't get to make any more." He gave her a stern look.

"Aww, that stinks. What happened?"

"You killed them."

"Details, please?" She tapped her fingers against the console.

"Pretty much the same story with all of them. At first they made you happy, then you started getting irritated with them. Eventually you got rid of them. Not a one lasted longer than six months. The first you got rid of because you thought he liked Verena more than you. After she died, he wanted someone to get rid of me. You got frustrated and put an end to him. The second was the damned pancake freak. You got tired of his temper tantrums. The third you killed because he went over to the Sabbat, or wanted to. I'd have killed him if you hadn't. He wanted you to go with him, and was willing to get help in making sure you followed him. I don't even think you cared about the Sabbat thing. Got quite an education out of him though. Anyway, no more annoying little bastards for you. Besides, you're too young to be making vampires. Shouldn't even be off your sire's apron strings."

"But we don't even know who those strings belong to."

"Nope," he curled his lip. "Have a damned good idea though."

By the time the salty night air of Ventura greeted them, Alyxandra had quieted down. This was her home, and the familiar streets, sights, and smells of the oceanside city put a content smile on her face. When he'd located the hotel he wanted and parked, she launched herself over the console and kissed him on the cheek, all the while grinning like a pleased child.

"Thank you," she said before flinging herself away again and hopping out of the truck.

"For?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and made an exaggerated gesture of annoyance. "For bringing me home."

"You're welcome, but this isn't home anymore."

She shrugged and watched while he unhitched the BMW to move it into another parking space, then gather their bags from the truck.

"We should have found a hotel further from the beach," she made an unpleasant face. "I don't like salty food."

"Huh?" He looked at her with a confused expression for a moment, then sighed and shook his head. "Doubt you need to hunt for a few more days anyway."

"I don't know how to hunt."

"What's to know?" He asked, "You find some poor son of a bitch and leave him thinking he just got lucky with the strange blonde chick with the necking fetish."

She snickered. "That's gross. I don't think I'd like some weird guy touching me."

"So you tell him not to."

"Maybe," she shrugged again, then looked around as they entered the hotel's lobby. "You really like the fancy places, don't you?"

"Don't really care, but I did the security for this place some years back. The suites are all done up with special glass in the windows for the comfort of their guests with 'special needs'. If you stay up late enough, you can watch the sun rise. Maybe I'll _try_ and get you up early enough to watch it set over the pacific. The way you've been sleeping lately, I figure chances are in my favor."

He set the bags down before the front desk and immediately one of the bellhops gathered them up onto a cart, then stepped aside to wait for a room number.

Mike winked at Alyxandra before turning to the desk clerk. "My lady requires a suite on the thirteenth floor."

The desk clerk seemed surprised at first, then looked him up and down with a professional coolness, clearly appraising him. She turned her attention to Alyxandra and her eyes widened slightly. "Yes sir, of course. May I ask what name you would like the room listed under?"

"Ramsey and Karrde."

"Very good. Shall I open an account for you?"

"No, I'll settle the bill when we check out." He accepted the keys she handed over.

"Room 1316. Enjoy your stay with us. If you require anything at all, please don't hesitate to alert the staff."

"Thank you." Mike took his wife's hand and pulled her along after the bellhop.

Alyxandra followed, but turned to frown at the desk clerk, who looked away quickly.

"She knows," she said in a singsong voice. "Ghoul? Do you think teeth rest at her throat with sweet promises? If she's a very, very good little girl, will she shed her blood for the eyes who watch and wake up to find she's in hell? Eternal life as a desk clerk."

Alyxandra giggled and nipped at Mike's arm as they entered the elevator.

"More likely she'll spend that hell in her current state." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "But I imagine that's what she hopes for."

The bellhop had rushed ahead of them and had their bags waiting for them in their rooms. He was waiting for them when they arrived, and held the door open for them as they entered the suite. Mike tipped him well enough to earn a genuine smile from the young man, and he hurried away after wishing them a pleasant morning.

"Nice!" Alyxandra ran from room to room, exploring the suite.

The living area boasted floor to ceiling windows which made up the entire western wall of the room. The floor was covered in a plush white rug, and Alyxandra kicked off her shoes to curl her toes into the weave. A wet bar sat in the northeastern corner of the room, complete with a tray of tiny bottles containing a variety of liquors that were unknown to her. Mike was raiding the stocked mini-fridge as she disappeared through one of the two doorways at the north and south ends of the room, each leading into dimly lit bedrooms. The windows in the bedrooms still covered the western walls, but were blacked out at both the bottom and top. The central panes were darkly tinted and covered in heavy drapes, despite the glass's safety. It would be a pleasant room to spend the day.

She danced her way back into the living area and joined Mike on the sofa, where he was already relaxing, legs kicked up on the coffee table.

"Everyone in town should know we're here by tomorrow night... or tonight rather. Almost time for good little vampires to be in bed." He grinned and pulled Alyxandra into his lap.

She pressed her face into the side of his neck and murmured into his ear. "Is that a good idea?"

He shrugged. "Probably not. But since we don't know what we're doing here, might as well dive right in. Caution's all well and good, but I'd like for us to get back home before my customers think I've abandoned them."

She tugged gently at his earlobe with her teeth and shivered pleasantly when he ran his hand up along her thigh. "You've got Alexander looking after things, don't you? There shouldn't be a hurry."

"I like to get my hands dirty." He flipped her skirt aside.

She moaned into his ear and pressed herself tightly against him. He prodded at her leg and she flinched at the accompanying pain. She frowned at him, then looked down at her leg. He was examining her wounds again. Frustrated and disappointed, she hissed and slapped him across the face.

The slap was half hearted, but Mike's eyes widened in surprise for half an absent heartbeat. He looked her, his brow furrowing and his eyes darkening in displeasure. He growled throatily, his teeth bared.

She stared back at him, breath held. Then she burst into a fit of giggling and threw her arms around the grumpy werewolf's neck. She slid up along his body until she rested on her knees and leaned against him, her face hovering above his. Their lips met in a hungry kiss. Her gave her bottom a single, stinging spank for the slap she'd given him, but although she gasped, neither broke their embrace. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders, causing him to growl again when she broke the skin, but he only crushed her against him in a tighter embrace before grabbing a handful of her hair in his fist. He pulled her head back and kissed her throat, pausing at the delicate hollow spot at the base. He tasted her with his tongue, and the feel of his hot breath against her skin made her cry out. He loosened his grip on her hair and nuzzled her neck

"I love you," he said, breathing heavily into her ear.

She yanked her head out of his grasp and gave him a dark look before pulling away enough to begin unbuttoning his shirt. He simply hooked a finger under the edge of her panties and tore them away. She grunted unhappily, making him chuckle, and she removed her shirt before he could destroy that as well. Her currently limited wardrobe couldn't afford the loss. He attacked the bra next, but with her help, that came away without being ruined beyond repair.

"Do you want me?" He asked, yanking off her skirt.

"No," she said flatly, then brought her lips to his shoulder and kissed him gently before grazing his skin with her teeth.

"Liar." He grunted as he shrugged the rest of his way out of his shirt.

She sat up and glared at him. He grinned back. She shrugged and slipped off his lap, slapping his hands away when he tried to restrain her.

"Bedtime," she sang.

Mike growled again and stood up to follow, his shoulders hunched, body coiled and ready to pounce.

Alyxandra shrieked and took off for the closer of the two bedrooms, giggling madly. At the doorway, her feet were knocked out from under her and she struck the floor heavily. Her knees came up defensively as she rolled onto her back, but he gave her ankles a yank and pulled her towards himself.

"Carpet burn!" She complained loudly, but laughed as he crept his way over her until he rested directly above her.

"Mine."

"Mm-kay," she grinned and wrapped her legs around his hips.


	13. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

The warmth of sunlight caressed Alyxandra's face as she awoke slowly. She blinked curiously at the thin bar of light filtering in through the small part in the drapes. The sun was low outside, just beginning to dip behind the ocean, and it cast a golden hue upon the room, darkened by the heavy tint of the windows. She gasped, remembering suddenly that sunlight was a bad thing, and rolled away from its path.

She stared at the faint strip of light, crossing vertically across the bed. She thought she remembered something about the glass being treated, making it safe for her kind. She relaxed just a bit, and took stock of herself. She was unhurt. Warily, she stretched her fingers out to the light. It was warmer where it touched the bed, but it did not burn.

Laughing, she leapt from the bed and threw the drapes open. The bedroom was cool, but by the window, where the sun's heat had been trapped behind the heavy drapes, Alyxandra basked in its lingering presence. It dissipated quickly, and she pressed her face to the glass so she could feel its touch just a little longer.

Voices.

The bedroom door was cracked open half an inch. She glided toward the door to listen. Laughter. It sounded familiar. She smiled, though she couldn't have said why. There was a deep snort in answer to the familiar laugh, then silence. Someone was moving; she could hear the soft sound of footsteps over the thick carpet.

"Don't know what ye be missin'," the unfamiliar voice laughed, and was immediately followed by the sound of something metallic hitting something hard and bouncing twice before it went silent again.

She pulled the door open further and peeked her head around the corner. Mike sat on the sofa, his back to her. The owner of the unfamiliar voice stood behind the wet bar, now littered with mostly empty bottles of alcohol. He held one and was quickly draining it into his mouth. Finished, he slammed the bottle down onto the counter and shook his head with a grin.

"I know what I'm not missing. Think I got some turpentine in my truck if you want to drink that too," Mike joked with the man.

The man stroked the red stubble on his chin as if to consider the offer. "I'm not that drunk. Evenin's young, lad."

Alyxandra watched the man as he paced halfway across the room and stretched. He was short, but looked moderately muscular. His hair was an uncombed tangle of orange-red locks, and stubble in a darker shade decorated his face, which was yet another shade of red. His large nose, again, was an even darker red. He looked like a drunk.

She sniffed the air. He wasn't human or vampire. Beneath the alcohol, he smelled like her werewolf.

Their eyes met, and Alyxandra stiffened.

"It rises!" He bellowed, a huge grin splitting his face.

She backpedaled as he rushed toward her, but he caught her up in his arms and swung her around. Her feet kicked, a good foot off the floor. Wide eyed, she stared down into the stranger's pale blue eyes. His twinkled back at her.

"How ya doin' kid?" He asked, patting her on the back with one hand as he held her up with the other.

Her eyes narrowed and she heard herself hissing before she realized she'd even bared her fangs at the man. She kicked again, but her legs were at an awkward position and she couldn't get a good groin shot in. She wriggled instead and tried to free her pinned arms.

He dropped her to her feet and frowned at her before barking a loud laugh. "Yer nekkid!"

She heard Mike sigh and she bolted through the bedroom door again and slammed it shut behind her.

"Ha!" The man laughed from the other side. "Now I got corpse stink in my nose."

Mike said something, but she couldn't make it out.

There was a knock at the door and she jumped back, hissing again.

"Get yer clothes on, lass! Let me have a look at ya without this mutt tryin' to glare me down."

A few muffled words drifted through the door before it opened. She crouched, ready to bolt or fight as needed, but it was only Mike who entered. He shut the door behind him and shook his head at her.

"He's not going to hurt you, babe. How about you get dressed before wandering outside though, huh?"

She glared back at him. "I did not _wander_. He attacked me!"

"Did no such thing!" The man called from the other side of the door, still laughing. "I was just happy to see ya, is all."

"He's a werewolf." She told Mike accusingly, continuing to glare.

"I be a bastard Ronin!" The man bellowed.

"He is," Mike agreed. "But you've known him longer than you've known me. He came to see you as much as he did me."

"I don't know him," she complained, but opened her bag and began pulling out her clothes. She slipped on her pair of slacks and the blue tank top she'd been wearing when she started her trip west.

"You know him, you just don't remember him. His name's Jack."

She grumbled, but followed him back through the door. When Jack approached her again, she darted away and curled up on the sofa beside Mike, tucking her legs beneath her in case she had to make a run for it.

"Jumpy little thing," he commented with a grin before taking a seat in one of the wingback chairs across from the sofa.

"Jack," Alyxandra tasted the sound of his name, but it remained unfamiliar. "Werewolves don't like vampires."

"No, and I be no exception. Taste crunchy though. Not that I'd eat one. But they do crunch real good before I spit them out." Jack snapped his teeth together with a loud click and smiled when she cringed further back into the sofa.

"I told you she doesn't remember anything." Mike put an arm around her waist.

"Nah, she be fakin'. Naughty lass. Should put her over yer knee and knock such nonsense out of her head."

"I am not faking," she growled. "And I don't remember you."

Jack scratched his chin. "I'll humor ya then. We met up back in the day after I took some licks from a few of yer friends. Thought it would be funny to take a Garou and turn him into dog food. Real dog food. Crazy ass leeches were about to cut me up into bite size pieces when ya turned up and threw a fit. Couldn't let your friends kill the '_puppy_'. Lucky for me they decided to leave me be. I don't know if they listened to ya, got bored, or just forgot what they were doin'. Maybe the lot were due back at the funny farm to turn in their baskets.

"I'd have ripped yer head off if I could have moved. Leech is a leech. I was too messed up to do much more than curse at ya. Ya thought that was funny, ya did. Told me I'd have to pay ya a dollar for every time I took the Lord's name in vain. Talked ya down to a penny.

"Three days and nights later, when I finally could rip yer pretty little head off, I was no longer a mind to. Yer alright lass. Still be happy to take care of yer friends."

"Dog food... that's funny," she giggled.

Jack glowered at her, but there was no heat in the dirty look. He reached out and patted her leg, then sniffed his hand and made a face before wiping it on his pants.

"I came, I saw... this dirty mutt has managed to keep ya around to stink up the clean air this long, I 'spect he'll keep ya around a while longer. Now I best be on my way." Jack stood up and without another word left the hotel room.

"That was abrupt." Alyxandra turned to Mike and threw a leg over his and snuggled in close to him.

"Jack's an odd guy."

"Mm-hm," she murmured against his neck and breathed in his scent.

"No biting," he growled at her.

"I don't bite."

"You bite a lot."

"You growl a lot," she countered, pinching his earlobe between her teeth.

"Probably because you're always biting me."

"You growl more than I bite." She let go of his ear without drawing blood this time and pressed her lips to his cheek instead. She inhaled and blew out in a long, drawn out, and noisy zerbert. The fart-like noise made her grin, making it impossible for her to continue after a few seconds.

"Weirdo."

"I missed my sunrise."

"We're facing the wrong way. You can see the sunset though." He gestured out the window, but Alyxandra had already seen it from out the bedroom window and was already bored with the view.

She slipped her arm across his chest and kissed his jaw, but a knock at the door interrupted her from finding Mike's mouth. She sighed, grumpy, and slid off his lap so he could answer the door.

She could see the young man at the door wore a hotel uniform, but she paid little attention as Mike spoke to him. She stretched out on the sofa and considered whether or not she were hungry. She remained undecided when Mike returned, wearing a sour expression. He lifted her legs out of his way and sat down, then lay them across his lap.

"More werewolves coming over to maul me?" She asked.

"Can't think there are too many more I'd want in the same room with you." He said. "Not all that comfortable with Jack. Probably why he left so quick. He doesn't want to hurt you, but it's his instinct to do so."

"What, you skip werewolf school the day they passed out those instincts?"

"Something like that." He ran his fingertips across her belly, making her squirm. He winked at her. "Think you skipped the same day."

"You do that a lot too."

"What?"

"Wink." She stuck her tongue out at him. "And as I recall from the last two mornings, you bite plenty."

"True... but I didn't hear you complain a whole lot." He wiggled a finger into her bellybutton and she smacked his hand away.

"What did the kid at the door want?"

"Eh..." Mike handed her a slip of paper, the sour expression returning. "You've been invited to a Malkavian play date. Didn't waste any time. Must have some alert ghouls working for them. They're coming to pick you up in a couple hours."

Alyxandra unfolded the paper and took a look.

"It says my sire, Dora, is out of the states and has requested that the local members of my clan make me feel welcome. Who the heck is Dora? Thought you said my sire was that guy from the fireworks?"

"Isidora isn't your sire, she just helped you out in your earlier days after the Ventrue called you out." Mike tickled at the bottoms of her feet and flashed his teeth at her. "You don't have to go."

"You don't want me to go," she accused uncertainly. She pursed her her lips and watched his face, pointedly ignoring the face that he was now tickling her fingers back up her thigh.

"It might not be a good idea, but I'm not going to tell you not to go. Go if you want. But with these people... they could take you to Disneyland to feast on tourists or they could try to re-enact a scene from Billy the Kid vs. Dracula. I'm used to not knowing what you're going to do. These guys... I don't like it."

She giggled and pulled her legs up, sticking her big toe in Mike's ear. He grabbed her foot and bit her ankle, eliciting a yelp from her. She rubbed at the indentation left in her skin.

"It sounds like fun," she said and slipped the paper into her pocket.

Mike shrugged. "It makes me a little nervous. You don't remember all the stuff you're capable of. If you find yourself in a tight spot, you might not be able to get yourself out of it. I wouldn't normally worry, but right now isn't normally."

"I might be useless, but your crazy ass wife seems perfectly capable of shoving me out of the way and taking over in a _tight_ spot. But maybe she'll be unhappy with me next time. After all, I have been screwing around with her guard dog."

He gave her a funny look. "Much as it's possible you'll be unhappy about that later on, you're still only one person. There's no 'she' taking over. It's all you, baby."

She rolled her eyes. "Well yeah, I get that."

--

Alyxandra was sitting on the floor, gazing out the windowed wall of the hotel room when the quiet knock came at the door. She twisted around, instantly nervous, and watched as Mike stood up from the sofa and crossed the room to answer.

Mike took a look through the peep hole and stiffened. He glanced at her once, for the briefest of seconds, and paused before he opened the door.

She gawked at the man on the other side. He was enormous. The ebony skinned man stood at least half a foot taller than Mike and was nearly twice as wide, his body bulging with massive muscles. His head was either bald or shaved smooth, the lustrous skin shining. He wore a tight black ribbed tank top and loose jeans. His feet were bare. He was beautiful.

His face split in a friendly, but somewhat timid smile. He ducked his head and dry washed his hands. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, there was a head peeking into the room from around the black man.

"Aww, man! Who embraced Jailbait Barbie?" The new arrival shoved her way through the door and into the room. She was shorter than both the black man or Mike, and scrawny to boot. Her hair was dyed a silvery pink and she wore it in two long braids, each hanging over an ear and reaching nearly to her waist. She had a handsome face, almost masculine, save for her mouth which was small and petulant.

"Yeah, Barbie!" A third arrival ducked around the black man and took a place behind the pink-haired woman. He was only an inch or two taller than her and every bit as scrawny. His light brown hair looked like it could use a trim as it hung in his eyes.

Alyxandra examined the trio for a moment before she crossed her arms over her chest. "I am not jailbait."

The pink-haired girl snickered. "That's Cecil over there," she said pointed to the black man. "And this is Jon. I'm Laci."

"Skippy!" Jon said. "I'm my own evil twin."

"Shut up Jon," Laci cuffed him and he yowled unhappily.

Mike looked heavenward before stepping out of the entryway and waved Cecil in since his friends hadn't waited for an invitation.

"Dora said we should take you out with us." Cecil said quietly, barely above a whisper.

"Dora's out in Africa or South America or somewhere where there's a jungle. She wanted to go look at green stuff for some reason." Laci smacked Jon in the chest. "She's out exploring."

"Dora's out explorin!" Jon giggled.

"Shut up! She's probably just meeting up with Diego or something. Gotta get some time with her boy toy." Laci tittered.

"No, she's doing that monkey dude. Diego goes at it with the shut-in chick."

"Idiot!" Laci smacked Jon. "That's his sister you monkey muncher."

"Hey," Jon swatted back at her. "This ghoul here, lookit lookit. I don't think it's a ghoul."

"Huh?" Laci squinted at Mike and sniffed at him.

Jon stared at Mike while Mike stared back at him, looking slightly amused and slightly annoyed at the same time.

"Lupine!" He screeched suddenly and ducked behind Cecil.

Alyxandra giggled and kicked her heals against the floor. "If you need to wet yourself, there's glasses and a sink at the bar."

"Shy says it's safe," Cecil commented in his same quiet tone. He had his eyes fixed on the floor and hadn't moved from the doorway.

"Nuh uh," Laci dismissed Mike with a wave of her hand. "If there was a fleabag around, don't you think Laci'd know?"

Mike chuckled, shaking his head. "Take your phone with you," he told Alyxandra, then flopped back down on the sofa.

"Got it," she patted her pocket.

"Come on Jailbait, we got places to do." Laci tapped her foot impatiently.

"Yeah, places to do things to!" Jon added his voice.

"Hey..." Mike fixed Laci with a stern glare, having taken her for the leader of the three, or at least two stooges. "You bring my girl back in perfect condition or you'd better hope you don't leave a trail behind when you run out of town."

Laci shook her braids and whispered to Alyxandra, "Jail, you got a real rude ghoul."

Giggling, she nodded in agreement.

"Have fun babe. Love you." Mike said before she walked out the door with the three lunatics.

--

"So, whatcha want to do Jail? We could go clubbing." Laci led the three other vampires down Harbor Boulevard. "Do you have a club? We could club pigeons. Have you heard that song before? The one about poisoning pigeons? It's not as much fun as clubbing them. We could ghoul some. Or sea gulls. Sea gulls are bigger, they do more damage when they get pissed off at the tourists. We could club tourists with some sea gulls."

"Sea gulls!" Jon snickered. "Leave the pigeons alone. They carry messages."

"Eat me Jon," Laci threatened to cuff him again. "Only messages these pigeon rats carry are which statue to shit on. The airwaves don't talk to them anymore. Too much salt in the air, yeah? They can't see the writing where you scratch it on their claws."

Jon smacked Laci in the back of her head. "Jon Jon don't have to take your mouth. Skip's gonna tell the pigeons which statue to crap on. You hold real still now."

"Fuck you Skippy Jon." Laci shoved him away from her. "We could go mess with Feature."

"Who's Feature?" Alyxandra asked, hanging back from the other two and sticking close to Cecil. He whispered occasionally to himself, but otherwise didn't say much and was more comforting to be around.

"Feature the Creature," Jon sang. "He's the watcher who watches. What does he watch? Who knows. Doesn't own a watch. Maybe he's a witch? Witchy witch the watcher who watches the wishy washy witches."

Laci punched Jon in the gut and he snapped his mouth shut.

"He spies on the Tremere," Cecil whispered to her, wringing his hands nervously. "But I don't think he can do magic."

Alyxandra didn't know what a Tremere was, though she supposed she probably had that knowledge locked away in her head somewhere, so she just nodded.

"He's my big hunk of dead man meat," Laci smiled nastily. "Let's go see him. But you keep your hands off him, you hear me Jail? You got your own donkey show. This one's mine."

"Okay..." She glanced at Cecil, who shrugged at her and smiled shyly.

"Shy says we can be friends," he whispered to her. "She says you're safe, like your scary lupine friend."

"Cool, tell her thank you." Alyxandra smiled up at him and he ducked his head further. "Can I ask you something?"

Cecil nodded.

"They're a little crazy, huh?" She asked, gesturing to Laci and Jon.

Laci whirled around and got in her face. Alyxandra grabbed Cecil's arm, her eyes widening in alarm at the furious look on Laci's face.

"Duh-uh!" She screamed at her. "Think you're straight? You can't _hang_ with us if you're straight."

"Yeah," Jon agreed loudly. "You got to be straight with us!"

"Shut up Jon! She _can't_ be straight."

"Oh yeah, yeah. You can't be straight, Straight!"

"Shy says you should leave her alone. Her head's been put back together all wrong." Cecil patted Alyxandra's arm and she grinned up at him appreciatively.

Laci glowered at the both of them before elbowing Jon in the ribs. She whispered something to him and they both laughed.

"Cecil?" Alyxandra asked. "Can I ask you something else? Who's Shy?"

Cecil looked uncomfortable and darted a few glances around him. "She's my friend."

"Imaginary friend," Jon snickered and Laci joined him.

Cecil shook his head and gave Alyxandra a sad look. "They just can't see her."

She nodded, "I talk to my sister, and I can't see her either." It might have been true.

Laci turned down an alley and the rest followed. It was spotlessly clean, unlike the alleys you always see in movies or otherwise might imagine that might have monsters skulking around them. There was a dirty and fairly foul smelling dumpster halfway down its length, but otherwise the narrow space between the two buildings looked to be vacant.

"Feature," Laci purred. "Where ya at stink weasel?"

The pink-haired vampire skipped down the length of the alley and turned around once she reached the end. Holding perfectly still, she scanned the area, a coy little smile on her face.

"I know you're here puss bucket. Come out and give momma a kiss. You know I know that you know I know you're here."

"There's someone by the dumpster." Alyxandra wasn't sure how she knew, but she could feel a presence there, even though she couldn't see anything. It was getting old, knowing things without knowing how she knew them.

Laci sneered at her and she took up Cecil's arm again. She doubted the big man was likely to help her out if a fight broke out, but his size might make him handy as a meat shield. She felt a little guilty for thinking of him that way, but she hung onto his arm anyway. He ducked his head again in what Alyxandra was beginning to take as a habit for the man. She found his shyness endearing, and she only hoped that if she did find herself in a fight with Laci, or even Jon, that she _could_ use the man as a shield. She felt a sudden urge to protect him, though she wasn't sure what she was supposed to protect him from.

A deep, grating sigh came from beside the dumpster and a figure unfolded itself, or least that's what it appeared to do. The man that stepped into view was quite tall, and might have seemed even taller than he was given to his gaunt, fleshless body. His skin, which had the appearance of dried and cracking leather, clung to his bones in such a way that you could clearly see the form of his skeleton. His fingers were much longer than normal and the fingertips were pointed sharply, giving his fingernails the impression of claws. His eyes bulged slightly from their sockets over a nose that bulged more than just slightly, hooking crookedly to the side as if it had been broken a few dozen times. He had no lips and his teeth, all pointed, were left bared.

Alyxandra expected pointed ears to match the rest of the creature's image, but he had none at all, only holes in the side of his head in their place. His hair was long and pure white, but sparse, and did little to hide the blisters on his scalp. More of the blisters were to be found on the monster's face and shoulders.

"Isn't he the cutest?" Laci licked her lips.

"Charming as always, Lacine." The creature spoke, his gravely voice thick with distaste.

Laci grinned and nodded, as though he had spoken in sincerity. "My pretty, pretty, pretty Nosferatu. Do you know what a Nosferatu is Straight? Doesn't he have the sweetest little oozing... things that ooze on his face? Makes me just wanna lick him all over."

Alyxandra was pretty sure she could figure out what a Nosferatu was, with or without a bad memory. She smiled politely and held her hand out.

"Ah yes," the Nosferatu said. He watched Alyxandra's face as he shook her hand and seemed almost disappointed when she didn't flinch or otherwise show discomfort at his touch. "You must be... what was it now... Katherine Ramsey? I believe I've met your sire. I wish you a welcome return to the city. However, I'm afraid my time here has been short and so we have not had the pleasure of meeting before."

She cringed inwardly at the use of her abandoned name. "I haven't gone by that name since I was a kid. Alyx or Alyxandra if you'd please."

"Certainly," he said. "I am called Feature. I also have shed the name of my birth."

"So, you know my sire? Dora's not really my sire, you know."

"I do not speak of your surrogate. I'm afraid I don't know the name he uses now, but I once knew him by Malek Bishop. The man changes his name more frequently than Lacine changes her underpants. Unless I am mistaken. You are Malkavian, yes?"

Alyxandra bit her lip at the unexpected anger she felt. She wanted to scream at the Nosferatu. She took a deep breath and forced herself to speak calmly. "You are mistaken. I am Ventrue."

Laci tittered. "Ain't that a pretty pile of polished peckers? We should cut her open and see if her blood's blue!"

"Yeah, blue blood!" Jon punched Laci's arm. "Get a claw, get a knife, get a pair of purple pipes. Let's rib her raw and bleed her dry, let's see if her blood tells her lie."

"Shut the fuck up," Laci stomped on Jon's foot and kicked him behind the knee before he could limp out of reach. He collapsed to the ground in a fit of laughter.

Cecil moaned, quietly of course. He freed himself from Alyxandra and moved away from the group and sat down at the alley's entranced, where he rocked himself back and forth.

"I see." Feature nodded, though his mouth formed something resembling a smile. It was hard to tell, what with his having no lips and all.

"It would explain the donkey show. But no blue blood I ever met would want anyone to know about their perverse depravity," Laci smirked. "She's just a poseur."

"What the hell is a donkey show?" Alyxandra nearly screamed, and she did stamp her foot childishly.

Still giggling, Jon picked himself up and whispered in her ear. She listened, her expression quickly going from frustrated to disbelief and on to attentive interest.

"Oh... anyone want to go to Mexico?" She asked, not sounding at all appalled as she knew she probably should. "Still, don't see how I qualify."

Luci snorted. "She does it with a doggy woggy."

"Doggy style!" Jon humped Alyxandra's leg. She elbowed him sharply in the ribs and he backed off.

"Thought you said you'd know if there was a lupine around? You didn't believe Skippy here when he said he smelled one at the hotel. Changing your story?" Alyxandra chuckled and crossed her arms, giving Laci a challenging look.

"I didn't want him to know he was a freaking werewolf." Laci grinned at Feature and began running her fingers over his arm. He looked down at her with something like a sneer.

"Pretty sure he knows what he is," Alyxandra said.

"Duh," she groaned. "Can't very well run away with my tail between my legs. I don't have a tail, you know. People don't have tails, not unless they're freaks like... lupines."

Alyxandra snickered.

Jon leered at her. "Does it like it doggy style?"

Laci shoved Jon out of the way. "We should send him a hooker!"

"Yeah, a hooker!" Jon bounced. "Wait, why?"

Laci pushed him away again. "Man's got needs, right? What do you say Blue?"

Alyxandra glared at her. "He gets his needs met, thank you."

Both shrieking with laughter, Laci and Jon grabbed one another and danced around her in a circle.

Disgusted, Alyxandra wandered to the front of the alley and sat beside Cecil. The gentle vampire took her hand in his but kept his eyes downcast. She rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm hungry," she complained quietly.

"Could go home," he whispered. "It's not so easy anymore, but there's always someone around. Used to be a hospital, but now it's a school. All my friends got sent away. Only Shy stayed with me. She didn't want me to be alone."

"Shy's a good friend, huh? She takes care of you?"

He nodded.

"We're good friends now, too. Let's go to that nightclub we passed up the street. What does Shy say? Are you hungry too?"

He shook his head. "No, but I like the music. Nobody can hear the words in my head. Nobody looks at me funny."

Alyxandra grinned and stood up, tugging his arm to get him to follow. Laci and Jon were trading blows down the alley, but when they saw their playmate leaving with their evening's charge, they paused their assault on one another long enough to follow.


	14. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Half a mile down the road, Alyxandra frowned at the vacant building that used to be one of her favorite nightclubs. She scowled at the others as though they were to blame.

"Could have told me this place was closed," she growled.

"You didn't ask," Laci smiled innocently.

"Yeah, you didn't ask!" Jon chimed.

Alyxandra turned on him, fangs bared. He ducked behind his leader as she took a swing at him.

"Could go to the Opera House." Jon said, trying to placate her.

"Opera?" She asked, incredulous. "Why the hell would I want to go to an opera? If I wanted to bite a penguin, I'd make you take me to the zoo."

Laci rolled her eyes. "It's a nightclub, you dunce. Only thing it has to do with opera is some old bag that was buried in the cemetery that used to be there. I dunno why they had to move them. Maybe rotting old bags don't like techno."

"Whatever, let's go. I'm hungry." Alyxandra took Cecil's arm again and he let her lead him after the other two.

"Ding!" Jon screamed at a young couple as the group passed them on the sidewalk. He made eye contact with the woman. "Your boyfriend is cheating on you."

The woman blinked in confusion for a moment and then smacked her boyfriend. Jon collapsed to the ground and rolled around, laughing. Laci grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him along for half a block.

Alyxandra observed them quietly, more and more convinced that she could not be one of them. Cecil seemed decent enough though.

"Hey," she whispered to him. "How did all this happen to you? How'd you become a vampire?"

He cocked his head and looked to his right, away from her. He seemed to listen to something for a moment before he turned his attention back to her.

"I used to be a boxer. I was pretty good. Lots of people would come from all over to watch me. They would cheer my name." He smiled shyly. "There was this one guy; he didn't like me too much. I had to fight him a few times, and he didn't like it when I won. The last time I hit him he didn't get back up again. I didn't mean to hurt him that bad. I was sure sorry, but they wouldn't let me fight after that. I tried to tell his family how sorry I was, but they was pretty mean to me. His wife was bad off miserable. She set fire to her house so she and her little girl could go to heaven and see him again. Some people thought I done it, but I wouldn't hurt nobody like that. Some of them people beat me up real bad, but one lady took me away and helped me. She made me better again and said I didn't have to fight anymore. Said nobody could hurt me anymore. Now I'm real careful, because I don't want anyone to hurt because of me."

"Ding!" Jon screamed, accosting another couple on the street.

Alyxandra rested her head against Cecil's arm. "If anyone tries to hurt you, I'll rip their eyes out and choke them with their tongues."

Cecil smiled down at her and patted her on the head.

"Hey, lookit that!" Jon ran out into the middle of the street, narrowly missing being mowed over by a minivan. He stopped at an oily puddle and crouched down beside it. The dark surface of the puddle was a rainbow of colors, swirling in a muddy, oily mess.

Cars honked, swerving to miss the strange man in the middle of the street. He gazed down into the puddle, expressionless. Laci looked concerned, and after watching Jon coming close to being stuck down for the third time, she covered her eyes with her hands and turned away. To Alyxandra's surprise, she began sobbing. She looked up at Cecil, but he looked bored. She shrugged and waited for Jon to return to the group so they could continue on their way.

Jon stood up and screamed, the bloodcurdling girlish sound ripping from his throat before he slapped a hand over his mouth, cutting the sound off. He returned to the sidewalk, his face grave.

Laci wipe away a few bloody tears and looked at him, waiting to hear what he'd seen in the puddle.

Jon placed his hands on Laci's shoulders. "The pigeons have declared war on the sea gulls. They attack at dawn."

Laci gasped, horrified.

"Be not afraid, my childe. The victors will defend our havens and shit on our enemies heads." Jon stroked her face lovingly.

"That's good," Laci nodded, relieved.

"All will be well. But I hope the pigeons win, because they've got better aim."

"Sea gulls are better."

Jon frowned. "Pigeons."

"Wait! I have a feather pillow at home. You think they'll be angry?" Laci hugged herself and glanced around nervously. "And sea gulls are still better."

"Might want to sacrifice the pillow just in case." Jon said, then slapped Laci across the face. "Pigeons."

Laci rubbed her cheek. "Sea gulls!"

Jon growled. "Pigeons!" He screamed and rammed his shoulder into Laci, knocking her to the ground.

Cecil whimpered and drew Alyxandra away from the fight. "The club isn't far. They can catch up after they're done hurting each other."

Alyxandra darted quick glances over her shoulder at Laci and Jon as they made their way down the sidewalk. The two vampires were locked together, Jon yanking Laci's braids and Laci with her hands wrapped around Jon's throat.

"Is Jon Laci's sire?" She asked Cecil.

He nodded, "But he usually does what Laci says. She ate Jon's sire. Diablerie."

"Oh..." she nodded, though she didn't understand.

By the time they reached the Opera House, Laci and Jon had caught up, neither the worse for wear. In fact, they arrived arm in arm and giggling in each other's ear.

Once in the club, Cecil promptly shook Alyxandra off his arm and vanished into the crowd. She blinked in confusion, startled by his sudden departure. Laci snickered in her ear.

"He doesn't like crowds," she said.

"Because of his boxing days?"

Laci giggled. "What boxing days? He never had any boxes. He just had some rags and some white whore."

"You?" Alyxandra asked innocently.

"No," Laci swung her braids. "I'm not that old. He was doing the dirty with Master's little wife back in his slave days. Master didn't like that too much."

"He told me he was a boxer."

"No," Laci growled. "I said there weren't any boxes! He's full of crazy shit. Listen to this, I'll tell you.

"Cecil was a field slave. Kinda soft in the head, probably smacked around too much as a kid. But he's kind of hot, yeah? And he's gentle like, so the Lady of the place took a liking to him. She started having him come to the house to move things around for her. Do this for me Cecil, do that. Do this to me Cecil, do that. Master found out they were fooling around and whipped his hide.

"So, there was this old crone who lived in the slave quarters. You know, because she was a slave. But she was into this voodoo stuff or something, so everyone was afraid of her and she never came out during the day. She takes Cecil and fixes him up. And then... well, nobody smacks Cecil around now, do they?"

"Oh," Alyxandra shrugged and shook her head. "Maybe he just didn't want to tell me."

Laci grinned and turned to vanish into the crowd after Cecil. Jon tickled her elbow, getting her attention, an annoyed look on his face at being forgotten.

"It's not true, you know." He said with a sneer.

"No? I suppose you have a different version of his embrace?"

Jon nodded. "He might have been a slave once, I don't know. But he didn't die like that. He was in the Civil War. He got shot in the head, but it didn't kill him. That's why he's kind of funny. He's not even a Malkavian. He's... well fine, he's a Malkavian. But he's not a boxer. He's not even furry. He just got shot in the head and left for dead. But after he died, he didn't die. Got it? That's what I heard."

"Gotcha," Alyxandra said. She shoved Jon away from her. "Now leave me alone."

"Gotcha!" Jon whooped, then turned to follow a slim brunette who passed by.

Left alone, she skirted the dance floor and made her way to one of the bars that lined the east and west walls of the club. She took a seat and waved the bartender away when he looked up at her expectantly.

The house music was playing some unidentifiable techno beat, but a band was setting up on the stage, getting ready to begin their set. She watched as the roadies set the gear up and began their sound checks.

"Fan of the band?"

"Huh?" Alyxandra turned around. The vacant stool beside her was no longer vacant, being occupied by an attractive young man.

"Are you a fan of the band?" He asked again.

"No. I don't know." She grinned.

He grinned back.

"You're kind of cute," she told him honestly. He had dark blonde hair, which didn't really do it for her as she preferred dark hair on men, but she wasn't really interested in his looks anyway. He was well built without being overly muscular. He looked like your typical college frat boy.

He laughed. "You're kind of a babe. Can I buy you a drink?"

"No, but you can keep me company."

"Awesome."

"Do you want to get out of here?"

He looked taken aback. "Why don't we get to know each other? Are you from around here?"

She frowned at him. She bet he liked to cuddle afterwards too. Sighing, she forced the smile back on her face. Before she could respond, the band started up. She gasped, and exactly as had happened at the fireworks display, the beat of the music vibrated through her body. She pressed a hand to her chest and laughed.

"You okay?" He asked. "By the way, I'm Doug."

"Alyx," she said, distracted.

"That's pretty. Like Alexandra the Great?"

"That was Catherine."

"Ahh," he shrugged. "Don't know my history that well. So, tell me about yourself."

She grinned and leaned forward, very close to him. "I'm a vampire. Want to feel my heart beating?"

His eyes widened, but were amused. "Are you? I'm a werewolf."

"Really?" She inhaled his scent, intrigued. "You don't smell like one."

"You've just never smelled one before." He plucked an ice cube from his empty drink and crunched it between his teeth.

"Oh, but I have. I've even tasted one or two of them."

"Have you?" He laughed, popping another ice cube into his mouth. "You want to taste me?"

"I do," she nodded, leaning even further in towards him to graze his throat lightly with her lips. With a quick flick of her tongue, she tasted the salt on his flesh.

"What do you think?

"You don't taste like a werewolf. Maybe I need a better sample?"

"Sure," he laughed. "Want to go grab a bite to eat first? I'm starving."

"Me too."

He coughed and squinted his eyes. He held up a finger in a 'just a second' gesture and hammered at his chest. Panic began to fill his eyes and his lips started to turn blue. Alyxandra watched in confusion.

"Are you choking?" She giggled at the absurdity of it. He was going to die. She wouldn't have killed him, but he was going to die anyway. She watched, fascinated.

Doug gestured emphatically at his throat.

"Shh..." she hushed him and took his wrists in her hands. It was a struggle to keep his arms still, but she dug her fingers into his flesh and held his fists close to her chest. She could feel his pulse racing. "It's okay, you don't have to be afraid."

He slumped forward into her arms, unconcious.

"Hey, he alright?" The bartender asked.

She nodded, "He's just a little overwhelmed."

The bartender shrugged and went back to his other customers - who were actually ordering drinks - therefore were of more urgent concern.

Alyxandra rested her cheek against the side of Doug's neck and listened to his fading heartbeat. His pulse beneath her fingers slowed, and after a few minutes went still. She released his wrists and smoothed his hair. Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her lips to his throat and sank her fangs slowly into his flesh. With no need to fear taking too much blood and harming him, she took her fill before pulling her head back and licking the wound closed.

She licked her lips then glanced around the club. There was no way she could handle Doug's corpse on her own, and she didn't think it would be a good idea to leave him where he was. She continued to stroke his hair idly while she examined the dance floor, hoping to see a familiar head of pink hair, a gentle black man, or even, God help her, Jon.

"He's dead."

Alyxandra jumped in her seat, startled at the unexpected voice behind her. She turned her head and found herself looking into disappointed brown eyes.

"I didn't kill him," she hissed at Cecil. "He died all on his own."

He frowned at her, but after a few seconds he nodded.

"Help me?" She asked.

Cecil wrapped an arm around Doug and helped Alyxandra lead him out of the club. A few people pointed and laughed at the 'passed out drunk', but nobody challenged them.

"Let's find his car," Cecil said, pulling something from Doug's pocket.

"How the hell are we going to do that?"

Cecil lifted Doug's keys up and jingled them with a happy grin. On the keyring was a button to Doug's car alarm. He pressed the button.

It took a few tries, but after a few passes through the parking lot, they found Doug's beat up Dodge, which really didn't look like it had any need for a locked door much less an alarm. Cecil unlocked the back door and pushed Doug into the car. He looked at Alyxandra for further instruction.

She shrugged. "I dunno... maybe go find Laci and Jon? He... Brian? Or maybe it was Doug? I think his name was Doug. He said he was hungry. We'll take him out to eat."

Cecil nodded and headed back towards the club. Alyxandra slipped into the backseat beside Doug. She rested an arm around his shoulders and let his body slump against her.

"Poor sleepy little duck. We'll get you some coffee. You're looking a little pale. How about a nice steak?" She slapped his cheek to try and get some color back into his face, but he remained a stubborn pale bluish white.

She began to hum to him while stroking his hair again. "You know, you really are a nice guy."

The car shook and Jon and Laci appeared at either side of the car, Jon hammering at the hood with his fists, a giant grin on his face.

"I got three ladies phone numbers, and one dude's. Laci said I had to throw his out though. Said he wanted nasty things. Whatdya think, Blue? I can go back to the garbage and dig the number back out if you want it? It looks like your new friend has turned out to be a boring stiff!" He chortled as he claimed shotgun in the car. Cecil climbed into the backseat on the other side of Doug, and Laci sat behind the wheel, having taken possession of the car keys from Cecil.

"Where to?" Laci asked.

"Let's take Dougy to Denny's. He's famished." Alyxandra pulled Doug's head up and kissed him on the forehead.

"Uhh..." Laci craned her head around to get a look at her new acquaintance. "He got some money on him?"

Alyxandra shrugged.

"Okay then, we'll dine and dash."

"Yeah, dine and dash, ditch and dine... found a hobo in a ditch and dined once." Jon bounced in his seat. "You save any for us Blue?"

"No," Alyxandra glared at him. "Besides, he's mine. Get your own."

"Already did, but I don't mind seconds. Maybe we'll get a cute waitress and we can have desert."

"Shut up, I'm trying to drive!" Laci growled. "I can't count the headlights when you keep flapping your sickly dried out shoe horn of a tongue."

"Whatcha gotta count the headlights for?" Jon grabbed the rear view mirror so he could see the lights behind them.

"So I know how far I've gone, dipshit!"

"That's stupid."

"Then don't ask me stupid questions," she hissed before smacking him in the face with the back of her hand.

Jon giggled and dipped his finger into the blood that dripped from his nose.

"Anyone want a taste?" He asked before sucking the blood from his finger.

Cecil shook his head at Alyxandra and she smiled back at him.

"Don't worry, I'm not that dumb," she told him.

"Denny's!" Laci stomped on the breaks. "Chinese fire drill before I pull into the lot!"

Cecil, Jon, and Laci all hopped out of the car. The truck behind them leaned into their horn as the trio of vampires ran a circle around the vehicle before jumping back into their seats. Alyxandra blinked at them, completely lost as to what they were doing.

Laci pulled the car into the empty lot outside the Denny's restaurant, honking Doug's horn in response to the truck.

"Rude ass bumfuck!" She called after the driver.

"Somebody help me get Doug inside?" Alyxandra asked.

Cecil nodded and put his arm around the corpse again.

"I'll be with you in just a minute," the hostess slash waitress called to them after they entered the nearly dead restaurant.

"I hope they have cherry pie." Jon rubbed his hands together. "I'll bet Doug likes to pop them little things with his teeth."

Laci giggled and Alyxandra rolled her eyes.

"Sorry for making you wait," their hostess slash waitress apologized when she returned to the register. "Oh my God, is he okay?"

"Yeah," Alyxandra smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, what he's got isn't catching or anything. He just needs lots of coffee."

"Okay... my name's Lydia." She tapped her name tag. "I'll be your waitress this evening. Morning, sorry. The night has just flown by, hasn't it? This booth okay?"

Laci bobbed her head and jumped onto the circular bench around the table. She skipped to the middle and slid her legs under the table. The others slid in, Cecil helping Alyxandra get Doug onto the bench between them.

Lydia passed menus around and asked if she could get them anything to drink.

"Coffee," Laci rolled her eyes. "Lots of coffee for Dougy Doug Doug."

"I'll get that right away. Are you sure your friend's alright? He doesn't look good." Lydia eyed the corpse suspiciously.

Alyxandra glared up at the woman. "Well, how rude! How would you like it if someone told you that you didn't look good?"

"I'm sorry. I'll get a pot and just leave it at the table."

Giggling, Alyxandra turned around in her seat and got on her knees, planting one between Doug's legs.

"Eww, you can't eat him now. He's all cold and gross and stuff." Jon made a gagging sound.

"I already did that," Alyxandra grabbed a set of napkin-wrapped silverware and threw them at him. "He likes to snuggle afterwards."

"Ohh..." Laci smacked her lips together in a wet kissing sound. "Is Doug gonna get lucky?"

"Of course not," Alyxandra turned her back on Jon, who was now making rude gestures towards his crotch. "I'm supposed to be married. I'm just gonna show him a little appreciation."

Laci and Jon both snickered. Cecil just shook his head and averted his eyes. Alyxandra grinned and pressed her lips against Doug's unresisting mouth. He didn't taste bad. There was a hint of alcohol on his breath and the taste of both beer and something else that she didn't recognize. Likely whatever was in the glass he'd had when they'd began talking. She wasn't overly knowledgeable about such things.

"He's shy," Alyxandra whispered to her new friends. "And such a gentleman."

"Ahem," Lydia coughed to get their attention when she returned with the coffee. She set the pot down in the center of the table and passed around five mugs. "In case anyone else decides to have some. On the house, of course. Are you ready to place your order?"

Nobody had looked at a menu, but Jon piped right up. "Cherry pie?"

"No, sorry. We have apple."

"That's not even dirty. Stupid movie."

Lydia stared at Jon, who made a kissy face at her. She tore her eyes away, shuddered very slightly, then regarded the rest of the group. "Breakfast maybe? What else can I get you?"

"Steak?" Alyxandra asked. "Doug needs his protein."

Lydia nodded and finished taking their order, which consisted of nothing more than Doug's meal and a vanilla milkshake for Cecil, who didn't want the waitress to feel bad.

Alyxandra picked up Doug's cup of coffee and poured a small amount into his mouth, tipping his head back so it wouldn't dribble back out. After massaging his throat and working the liquid down, she clapped her hands together.

"That'll help warm him back up," she nodded in satisfaction before pressing her mouth to his cool lips again. She worked her tongue into his mouth and tasted the coffee on his lips and tongue.

She sighed.

"You know," she addressed the other three, "it was kind of rude of him to die."

"Thought you said you ate him?" Laci paused to ask, a fork held in her hand and ready to stab Jon.

"I fed after he died; I didn't kill him. Already told Cecil that. He choked on his drink."

"Ow!" Jon swatted at Laci and her fork, which was now coated lightly with his blood.

Alyxandra kissed Doug again, sucking his lower lip into her mouth and nibbling gently. She reached down and pressed her hand between his legs.

"He doesn't like me," she pouted. Glaring at him, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and lifted his head so he was facing her. With her free hand, she struck him across the face as she had before. Still, his color didn't improve. She shrugged and picked up the coffee cup again.

Lydia delivered Doug's meal and Cecil's milkshake. She eyed Doug again, muttered something under her breath that may have been a prayer and left again without asking if they needed anything else.

Cecil stuck a spoon into his milkshake and stirred it around, but didn't drink from it. Alyxandra cut a piece of Doug's steak and placed the meat into his mouth. Grabbing his lower jaw, she tried to make him chew. When that didn't work, she stuck her fingers into his mouth and pushed the steak towards the back of his throat. She chased it down with more coffee, but with his throat now obstructed, the fluid refused to drain from his mouth.

Frustrated, Alyxandra shook him. Coffee spilled from his mouth and down his chin. She hissed when a few drops landed on her leg.

"Maybe he needs more sugar?" Jon offered.

Nodding, Alyxandra smiled and stroked Doug's cheek. She bent her head to his again and kissed his mouth softly. She licked the spilled coffee from his lips and placing both hands against his face, she slid her tongue into his mouth again.

"Eww," she jerked her head back and wiped her mouth. She turned around and settled back into her own seat, letting Doug slide down and settle onto the floor under the table.

Cecil shook his head.

"We'd better go. Lydia's gonna be pissed when she sees the tip we left her." Alyxandra pushed Cecil's milkshake away from him and grabbed his hand.

The four vampires all but ran from the restaurant, and all but Cecil laughing. He remained silent.

"Now what?" Asked Laci. She started up the car and peeled out of the lot. "It's getting kinda late. Should we call it a night and go sleepy time? I want to get in before the fan hits the poop and the feathers start to fly."

"Sleepy," Alyxandra agreed and snuggled herself under Cecil's arm.

The haven in which the three vampires shared ended up being the basement level of what used to be the Camarillo State Psychiatric Hospital. Now the buildings were used as a school, with everything looking updated, shiny, and new.

The four vampires bedded down together with Cecil off to himself a little ways, but not far. The room they had claimed for themselves was secured behind a heavy steel door with a formidable lock, and was comfortably furnished within. It was messy and cluttered, but overall fairly clean.

Laci pulled out the mattress for a pull-out sofa and made herself comfortable, patting the bed at either side of her for whomever wished to join her. Jon did so immediately, and Alyxandra after only a moment's hesitation. There was nowhere else to sleep except for the floor, Cecil having already settled into the only other chair, a ragged looking recliner.

_Bzzzz_. Alyxandra squealed.

"My pocket is buzzing! Get it out, get it out!" She thrashed around on the bed.

Snorting with laughter, Jon tackled her, crushing Laci in the process. He dug into Alyxandra's pocket and extracted her phone.

"It's alive!" Laci screamed. "Kill it!"

Jon threw the phone against the far wall and hooted when it shattered. The remains rested on the floor quietly.

Giggling, the three wrestled lightly until sleep came. Just before she closed her eyes, Alyxandra thought she could see a little girl standing beside Cecil, resting her head on his shoulder.


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Warning: This chapter contains adult content of a sexual nature, etc etc, blah blah.

--

Mike leaned against the side of his Humvee, waiting for the vampires to come out. It was the side rather than the front bumper he rested against, seeing as how the front was designed to lethally abuse his own kind. His arms were crossed over his chest and his posture suggested he was relaxed.

He wasn't particularly happy about being there, nor was he particularly happy that his wife had stayed out all day without so much as a phone call. He had tried to call, but hadn't gotten through to her. The only thing that had kept him from a sleepless day and night was the fact that he'd known where she was.

When the vampires showed, they stopped dead in their tracks at finding him waiting.

Laci squealed and jumped behind Jon, who in turn moaned unhappily and pulled Laci back in front of himself. They tussled like this for a few minutes before Jon gave up and ran away. Laci was left looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Cecil stood by calmly, seemingly unconcerned. Alyxandra was at his side, her arms wrapped around his, looking utterly bored and faintly annoyed.

Laci drew herself up and put on a brave face, though her eyes were wide and wild with fear. "This isn't our haven, you know. It's not. I don't know how you found us here, but we don't live here. So... so yeah, it's not like you know anything. How'd you find us here?"

Mike tapped his nose and grinned, showing off his teeth. It was only friendly on the surface. Laci wasn't fooled.

"Well, be seeing you Blue." She wiggled her fingers at Alyxandra and took off after Jon.

Cecil bent to give her a kiss on the cheek and quickly followed, though he still showed no sign of discomfort at having a werewolf waiting outside his haven.

Alyxandra clasped her hands behind her back and strode over to the Humvee, a light smile playing on her lips. Mike watched her without a word. After she'd climbed into the passenger seat, he gave up his stance of intimidation and hopped behind the wheel, giving her only a single glance before starting the engine.

"You didn't answer your phone," he commented quietly.

"It attacked me after we went to bed. Jon killed it."

"We'll get you a new one."

She shrugged.

"Have fun?"

"Sure," she smiled. "But you didn't sniff us out. We drove."

"This is true. I had you followed."

She eyed him with pursed lips. "Kinda overbearing, aren't you?"

"Not at all. But I don't trust strange vampires and you're not yourself right now. You get yourself into trouble in the best of times, and this is not an ideal time. I'm gonna be overly protective right now."

"So... if you had me followed, you know what I did last night?"

"More or less."

She giggled.

"You had another accident," he said, not quite putting it as a question. His voice was neutral.

"I did not," she raised her chin. "I didn't kill anyone. The silly boy did it to himself. So I have nothing to feel bad about. So don't you get mad at me for that."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "I don't really care, babe. You mind your corpses more than I ever have."

"What did you do all day?"

"I had a productive day," he said.

She nodded. "I made out with a dead guy last night. Though I guess you already know that."

That eyebrow went up again. "Vampire?"

She glared at him. "No, dead guy!"

"Oh... why? No, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

She snickered.

"I'm glad you had a good time." He smiled pleasantly at her, and she beamed back at him.

"What are we doing tonight?"

"I'm going to take you back to the hotel." He grinned at her, displaying those teeth again. "And then I'm going to fuck you."

Her eyes widened. He chuckled.

Rethinking what she'd just told him, he grimaced slightly. "After you brush your teeth."

--

In the elevator up to their hotel room, Mike's hands were everywhere. Alyxandra permitted it and found his ardor a little amusing, and had to fight to suppress a giggle whenever he sniffed her. It did remind her that she could use a shower. She didn't think she'd manage to get one before play time was over.

He behaved himself down the hallway from the elevator to their door, but once in their room, he was all hands again. He guided her to the bedroom, bumping into her when she was too slow.

"What got you so worked up?" She asked, feeling a little wary. His excitement was catching, and she was eager enough, but his aggressive behavior was a little unexpected. "Just marking your territory?"

He snorted, "Would you rather I just peed on you?"

She really didn't rather, but then he was pressing himself against her back and biting her shoulder, so she forgot to voice her opinion.

Taking a fistful of her hair, he turned her head towards him for a kiss. He paused, their lips a few millimeters apart, when he remembered what she said she'd been doing the night before. He pointed towards the bathroom and she stuck her tongue out at him. With a stinging slap on her rear, she went.

After brushing her teeth, she considered the shower again. Mike was yanking his belt free, and when he had the long strip of leather in his hands, he folding it over and snapped it. The loud crack made her flinch and she thought better of making him wait.

She did wait for him to drop the belt before she returned to him, moving timidly. But when she was within arm's reach, he gently took her face in his hands and bent his mouth to hers in a tender kiss.

He already had his shirt off, his shoes had been kicked off and lay where they landed by the window. All that was left were his pants, which were already unzipped and ready to go. She stuck her thumbs into the waistband of his boxers and bit her lip, grinning. He smiled down at her, looking a little smug. She tugged downward and let the clothing fall to pool around his feet. She looked down. He was definitely ready. Looking back up at him, she returned the smug look. It was his turn.

He surprised her. He placed his hands on her hips and the next instant she was flat on her back in the middle of the bed. He pulled her shoes off and then climbed onto the bed on his knees to come after her. Reflexively, she pulled her knees up.

He shook his head and placed his hands behind her calves and pulled her legs out straight again. Straddling her, he attacked the button on her slacks. The zipper was down in record time and he was yanking the pants along with her underwear down in a matter of seconds.

"Take it easy, my wardrobe is limited enough as it is," she complained.

"Your leather pants came back from the laundry," he finished freeing her from her slacks and tossed them across the room.

She groaned, and not only for the pleasure she felt when he paused to stroke his fingers over her mound before starting on getting her shirt off. "Stupid pants."

"They'd look hot with that red shirt thing I picked up for you."

She considered that. She supposed she could wear them again... if he liked them. They had looked rather nice.

Her shirt was tossed aside and Mike began to fight with her bra. She watched with interest, and wondered who would win. He growled, trying to work the metal hooks at her back without being able to see them. She didn't offer any help, but she did hope the battle would end amenably. She only had one other bra with her.

The bra came free and the victor eyed his prize appreciatively.

Reaching behind him to take her by the ankles, he wrapped her legs around his hips. She was compliant, curious to see what would come next. He moved his hands to her waist and bent to kiss her belly. His tongue darted into her belly button teasingly. He brushed his hands over her ribs, barely touching her and she shuddered.

He took his time, exploring with his hands and tongue as he worked his way up. Once he'd reached her breasts, Alyxandra had grown impatient. It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying his ministrations – she thoroughly was – but she wanted more. She made a grab for him, fingernails ready to claw at his back, but he caught her up by the wrists and in the blink of an eye he had her wrists secured over her head, held with one hand. She squirmed, but he was putting some weight into holding her down and she wasn't going anywhere. She bared her teeth at him, but neither of them said a word.

Kneading her flesh none-too-gently with his free hand, he bent to kiss her exposed throat. She lifted her chin to give him better access and closed her eyes, panting. He nipped at the skin over her collarbone and she whimpered impatiently. He chuckled darkly in her ear. His hot breath on her neck drove her to buck against him. He slapped her on the ass.

He hovered over her, staring down at her. She glared back, though the curve of her mouth gave her enjoyment away.

"I love you so much," he said, his voice thick with lust.

She smiled, for once not cringing at the words, though she still wouldn't return the sentiment.

He kissed her, almost violently, his tongue darting in between her teeth, touching the curve of her elongated canines, caressing her own tongue, and tasting her. She reciprocated and when he was too slow is extracting his tongue, she nipped it, catching him with one of her fangs and drawing a few drops of blood. He growled at her again and bit her lip, though he was very careful not to break the skin.

She squirmed again, trying to free her hands and arched her back, pressing her body up against his. He didn't free her, but took the opportunity to slide his free hand under her and grab a handful of her soft, firm bottom. Foreplay abandoned, he squeezed as he drove into her. She hissed, her upper lip pulling back over her teeth.

He couldn't restrain her for long, and when he did free her hands, they immediately found their way to his shoulders. Dissatisfied with the marks she left behind on his flesh, she clawed at his thighs next, but Mike didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't mind enough to slow him down. Eventually, her hands found their way to his back and she reopened the battle wounds she'd given him the last time he'd excited her.

Before they were done, she had her share of claw marks as well, though he had been more careful than she'd been. She was decorated with a few bite marks as well, and she inspected a few of them with a satisfied smile. Her own love bites never left behind any evidence, and she almost regretted that. She thought that maybe, next time, she'd have to be a little more creative with her fingernails. He healed too quickly. Not that she healed any slower, but she didn't care if the marks he left on her remained or not. She wished for claws, but figured she could make do with what she had.

They lay on their sides, his arm slung over her, absentmindedly playing with one of her nipples. His chin rested on her shoulder and occasionally he'd nip at her earlobe or kiss her neck. She was feeling content and lazy. Her head rested on his other arm and she could hear his heart beating. The rhythm was soothing, and had it been near dawn, it would have helped draw her into peaceful unconsciousness. As it was, she tried to snuggle in closer to him and closed her eyes, enjoying the heat radiating off his body and the feel of his breath fanning across her face and shoulder.

Alyxandra bit her lip. Something about him was off.

She twisted around in Mike's arms and looked him in the eyes. He smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Alyxandra slapped a hand over his mouth and glowered at him. His own hand struck her across the bottom, making her jump in surprise. She bared her teeth. He smiled back, looking amused.

She shoved her hands against Mike's chest, pushing him over onto his back and leapt upon him, digging her fingernails into her forearms. Not wanting to give him the chance to fend her off – if he even would – she bit him, sinking her fangs into the flesh just over his left nipple. He gasped in surprise, then grunted. She didn't draw any blood out, but bit down savagely, causing more pain than pleasure.

"Ow, hun. Babe, take it easy. Ow!" He growled in protest, but by the hard flesh now pressing against her side, she didn't think he found her bite completely undesirable.

She withdrew her teeth and looked up at him.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or are you going to distract me again?"

"Well," he rubbed the wound she'd given him, "I'm willing, but you'll have to help me out if you want another go around so soon."

"Looks like you don't need any help," she poked at him.

He shrugged.

"You're not telling me something..." She gave him a serious look, then threateningly pinched a piece of delicate flesh between her fingers.

"I need those."

"They're mine. Tell me what you're not telling me, or I take them with me when I leave... without you."

He growled.

She squeezed.

And then, without the slightest idea of how it had happened, she found herself lying on her side, arms pinned, with Mike's limbs wrapped securely around her. Her fingers were empty.

She hissed in annoyance and bucked against him, but seeing as how she was face to face with him and pressed tightly against him, it didn't work out exactly as intended. Instead of freeing herself, she found herself beaming at him.

"Hun..."

She pouted. She knew something was wrong, but just now she no longer wanted to hear about it. Now she had other ideas. Bad news was all well and good when you were bored, but when there was fun to be had, bad news was just bothersome.

"About what I was doing earlier today?"

She stopped her squirming and looked at him with some suspicion.

"I saw your mom."

She stopped breathing and averted her eyes from his face. It hardly seemed fair. He didn't want her to see her parents. Why should he get to see them? He didn't even know them. He didn't even have parents. Maybe he wanted hers, since she couldn't use them anymore. But they belonged to her. Even if she couldn't have them anymore, she didn't want anyone else to have them.

"Don't glare at me."

"Mine," she growled.

"I don't have good news for you, baby." He sighed, ignoring her pursed lips and hooded eyes. "I didn't know if I should even tell you. You... AHH!"

She slowly removed her knee from between his legs. His teeth were bared, but he sucked in a deep breath and managed not to snarl at her.

"I'm telling you, aren't I?"

"Proceed," she relaxed against him.

"Your mom is still living in the same house, but your dad... I'm sorry hun. Your mom didn't mention it, but one of her neighbors told me he's passed on a few years ago."

She nodded, and when she didn't break down into tears, he hesitated.

"You okay?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "At least now I can talk to him."

He stared at her, and she figured he wasn't sure how to take that. She didn't offer an explanation.

"Wait, you talked to my mom? I thought you just went to gawk at them. That's not fair!"

He blocked another assault on his groin and sat up, pulling Alyxandra into his lap, where he could keep better control of her limbs should she decide to attack again. She settled her head onto his shoulder and sulked.

"Your mom isn't doing so well. She looked healthy enough, but... I'd have to guess it's Alzheimer's. She thought I was your dad."

Her head shot up and she looked him in the eyes again, her own eyes wide. She scrutinized him.

"Baby," he whispered, prepared to comfort her. He stroked her back.

She laughed.

Again, he stared back at her.

Snickering, she poked him on the nose. "Daddy."

He frowned.

Sliding her hand down between his legs, she took a handful of him. "Naughty, naughty daddy."

"Alyx," he said, making her name sound almost like a plea.

"Oh," she sighed against him, "You don't look _anything_ like him. Dirty old lady. She was probably just flirting with you. If daddy's gone, maybe she's lonely. And you're so much fun. But I'm not going to share."

He shook his head, but didn't argue with her. "I think it's safe for you to go talk to her. She's kind of out there. She was all over the place. One second talking about 'the girls' not getting their chores done, the next complaining about not getting a visit or a phone call for a few days. It's pretty bad."

"Alright," she smiled. Pushing his head back, she nipped at his chin, then made a face as she got a hair from his beard stuck on her tongue. She licked his cheek to dislodge it. "But you get to wait outside in the car. If mommy makes a pass at daddy, I'll have to give mommy more brain damage. It'll be your fault. So let's not do that, m'kay?"

"Since when are you prone to fits of jealousy?" Mike wiped his cheek, then licked her nose in retaliation, but his effort was ignored.

She shrugged. "How would I know that? I've never had a boyfriend before."

"I've never been your boyfriend," he growled playfully and nipped back at her.

"If you say so." Pushing him away, she got up to go shower.

--

Down in the parking garage, Mike appreciated the view of his wife from behind. She was wearing the black leather pants again, and while they weren't exactly skin tight, they were damned close. The red top wasn't much looser. Her hair hung loose down her back, still damp from her shower. He could smell the shampoo she'd used and he quickened his pace to close the gap between them. She quickened her steps as well, and glanced over her shoulder at him. She shot him a dirty look, as though she knew he was having thoughts about her that she found inappropriate in their timing. But then, she probably did know what he was thinking. She often did. He would chalk it up to years of time getting to know each other so well, but it had always been that way. Maybe it was just a vampire thing.

He met her glare with a look of fondness. She huffed at him and turned away. At the car, she waited for him to unlock her door, all the while refusing to look at him again.

As he rounded the rear corner of the car, something wet hit the ground in front of him. He stopped and looked down. Alyxandra gasped.

She stared at the thick, white mess on the ground, her eyes filled with horror. Mike shrugged. At least the bird hadn't hit the car.

Alyxandra glared up at the steel beams above their heads, looking for the offending bird. The bird was nowhere to be seen. She launched herself at Mike and shoved him toward the car door.

"Take cover! They've marked you out as an enemy! You should have been nicer to them. Now they're going to get you. They won't give up. Next time they'll send better trained marksmen... birds. This one just isn't used to attacking a moving target. That's good though, just don't hold still." She held her hands over Mike's head, in an attempt to protect him.

"Am I going to regret it if I ask what the hell you're talking about?" He managed to get the door open and maneuvered Alyxandra into the car. He had to grab her hands and push them away to get her buckled in.

"Oh, most likely, yes." She breathed, and nodded in earnest.

"Then I won't ask." He shut the door and deliberately moved slowly around the car to the driver's side. He could see his wife becoming agitated inside the car. He did glance up to see if he could spot the bird, though he told himself it was purely out of curiosity that he did so.

Safely in the car, Mike started heading north towards Charlotte Ramsey's home. They hadn't gone a mile before Alyxandra broke down and began sobbing.


	16. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The house didn't really look all that different than Alyxandra remembered. The Tudor style home had received a fresh coat of paint sometime in the past few years, and the cars parked in the driveway had changed. Charlotte Ramsey's '92 Lexus was missing and in its place sat a shiny new Mercedes. Thomas Ramsey's old Jaguar was missing altogether.

The landscaping hadn't changed at all. The birch trees in the yard didn't even look any bigger, though Alyxandra supposed trees didn't grow all that fast anyway. Still, she had expected to find something more profoundly different than fresh paint and new cars. Instead of comforting, it was frightening.

She shuddered and took a deep breath, but didn't loosen the death grip she had on Mike's hand. She was otherwise composed and showed no sign that she'd very recently had a violent sobbing fit. The only clue was left on Mike's shirt, where she'd wiped the bloody tears from her face.

"It'll be fine," Mike whispered, giving her hand a squeeze. He was beginning to lose the feeling in his fingers, but he didn't dare try to free his hand. He didn't want his wife to start crying again.

She nodded. "But if she thinks I'm daddy too, I'm leaving."

Mike grinned, but wiped the smile off his face when she glared at him. She wasn't joking.

With a heavy sigh and giant, rabid butterflies trying to rip their way out of her stomach, she pushed the door open. She tried to think on the bright side. It was still early in the eventing. Maybe her mom had gone out. There might not be anybody home to answer the door.

Halfway up the walkway, the motion detector kicked into action and the yard was flooded with a soft, yellow light. She froze, though she'd been expecting the light. What she didn't expect were the memories that rushed forward and demanded her attention. They were insignificant things, but oddly painful. She remembered coming home late at night from babysitting when she was sixteen. She remembered trying to sneak back into the house with Verena after they'd snuck out to attend a party their parents hadn't approved of. There were daytime memories too, but they didn't strike her with the same unpleasant familiarity. It was easier to fall into and relive the memories that had taken place at night.

She plodded on, ungracefully dragging her feet. She really had no idea what to expect of her mother. Until tonight she'd only imagined her mother's sunny and smiling face. Her naturally blonde hair, lightened by hours of sunbathing, would be meticulously piled atop her head. Her makeup would be flawless, her nails polished, her clothes stylish, attractive, and expensive. Charlotte's husband's money had helped keep her looking good. They hadn't been wealthy, but they'd been well enough off that cosmetic surgery had never been unavailable when she'd wanted something done.

Alyxandra hesitated on the front porch. Her hand wavered between the knocker and the doorbell. If her mother were home, and she strongly suspected that were the case, though she hadn't allowed her senses to wander and confirm this, then either one would startle her. She would have considered letting herself in, but she no longer had a key. A key wasn't necessarily a deal breaker, but breaking into her mother's house didn't sound so fun under the current conditions.

Stamping her foot in annoyance with herself, she finally pressed the button for the doorbell. The musical chime rang through the house and she listened for an answering set of footsteps. The house was silent.

She turned to look back towards the BMW with Mike sitting inside, where he waited for her. His head was bent forward, and she figured he was reading. Whether he was or not, it didn't matter. He wasn't watching her, and this annoyed her. She wished he'd make up his mind. Either he was suffocatingly overprotective or he wasn't. She wasn't sure if that made any sense, but it didn't interest her enough to analyze any further than to acknowledge her displeasure.

She rang the bell again, then knocked.

Stepping off the wicker doormat, she lifted a corner of it with her toe to see if there was a key hiding beneath it. She'd never known her mother to hide a key in such an obvious place, but it was worth a try. However, the only thing she found hiding there was dirt and a wet musty odor. She'd just about decided to give up and return to the car when she heard a soft voice on the other side of the door.

"Who's that?"

Alyxandra was annoyed all over again. The porch light was on, surely her mother could look through the peep hole and see who it was.

"Avon calling," she answered.

"What?" Her mother's voice came through the door, sounding confused.

"I'm a missionary come to save your soul."

"Oh for God's sake," her mother grumbled something further, but it was lost to even Alyxandra's sensitive ears. Maybe Mike would have been able to make it out, but since she'd banished him to the car, she let her imagination fill in the blanks.

The door opened and her mother's head peeked out the crack in the door. She stared at Alyxandra with no sign of recognition in her eyes, but her face was expectant.

"Mom," Alyxandra forced a smile.

"What in the world?" Charlotte Ramsey looked down at the gold watch adorning her wrist, more a piece of jewelry than anything else. "Do you know what time it is? Is there something wrong?"

"It's not that late, mom. Nothing's wrong. Can't I come home for a visit?"

"Your father will be home soon and he'll be wanting to go to bed. He just took the dog out. I wish he wouldn't do that so late at night. He's getting older now, you know. It's not safe. There are demon worshipers out there and weird people." She stepped aside to let her daughter in the house. "Just yesterday afternoon there was a man wandering through the neighborhood, and wouldn't you know, I think he was homeless. He could have broken into someone's home and murdered everyone in their sleep."

"In the middle of the afternoon?" Alyxandra asked with a hint of a genuine smile. This was pretty normal behavior for her mother, who worried about silly things and usually failed to think those worries through all the way.

"Oh," Charlotte waved a hand dismissively. "He could always have come back in the night. He was probably feeling out the neighborhood."

Alyxandra nodded, but she wasn't paying too much attention to what her mother was saying. She was more concerned by what her mother did not say. She wasn't surprised to see one of her daughters, when she hadn't laid eyes on either of them for over a decade.

"It's been a while, huh?" She asked, testing her mother's reaction.

"No, this was yesterday." Charlotte insisted, still dwelling on most recent excitement.

"Not that mom. Since I last saw you."

"Oh," Charlotte laughed. She took a seat at the kitchen's breakfast bar and waited for Alyxandra to do the same. "You girls never come over anymore, do you? Not unless there's something you need. Is it money? Your dad won't be happy. But if it's something important, maybe we don't have to tell him. I can always say I needed a new dress or something. That old fart never notices new clothes anyway."

Alyxandra shook her head, but then frowned. "I never asked you for money."

"Oh, Kathy..." Charlotte clucked her tongue. "I know, but Verena was just asking for a loan last week. I wish she'd settle down and go to school."

Alyxandra cringed a little at her name, but she'd never been able to get her mother to call her anything else. She didn't figure arguing now would do any better. She guessed her arguments might be a little more affective now, but using such advantages on her mother seemed unfair.

"Where is that father of yours? I swear, that man stays out with that dog later and later every night."

"Maybe I should go?" Alyxandra didn't see much point in this visit. It should have been good to see her mother again, and it was, in a way. She looked much the same. She was older, of course, but her mom had always taken excellent care of herself and it showed. The woman did not look her age. There were more lines in her face than there had been before, and a little bit of grey showed in her hair. Being blonde, they were fairly well camouflaged. It looked like she'd kept up her habit of suntans and visits to the gym with her personal trainer. She looked a little tired, but it was nothing startling. Still, she wasn't getting anything out of this.

"Uh huh." Charlotte yawned. "I imagine you have homework."

"Um, mom? How'd you know it was me? Not really dressed like I normally do."

Charlotte laughed. "I know my girls."

Alyxandra smiled and nodded. "Goodnight."

She hugged her mother and kissed her on the cheek. The physical closeness was uncomfortable. It felt wrong somehow. She was relieved though, that her mother seemed fine for the most part. From what Mike had told her, she hadn't expected everything to be so normal.

"I'll have to tell her you were here of course." Charlotte followed her daughter to the door.

"Huh?" Alyxandra turned back to her mother.

"Lauren. She wanted me to let her know if I saw you. I'll have to let her know you've been here."

Alyxandra hissed, furious. Her fangs were extended and bared. Her mother stared at her as though nothing was amiss.

"Lauren... why?" Lauren had been the leader of the vampires she'd known before she'd become a vampire herself. It seemed only a handful of days had gone by since she'd felt almost worshipful of the woman. Now her name ignited rage inside her. Her mother should not know that name.

Charlotte shrugged. "Not a very pleasant girl, but... impressive all the same. I'll have to let her know. I should. I should..."

Alyxandra watched the confusion cloud her mother's face and she shifted impatiently. She didn't know why Lauren would want to know if she returned to the area, but she never should have interfered with her mother. She'd be paying a visit to Lauren. This was unforgivable.

"It's fine, I'll tell her myself. You don't need to worry about her."

"I don't know, Kathy. She might not be happy."

Alyxandra pursed her lips. Her mother definitely looked tired, and now worry was making the lines in her face more pronounced.

"Just tell me where to find her and I'll go see her right now. Right this instant." Alyxandra stalked past her mother and went back to the kitchen. Charlotte followed closely on her heels, wringing her hands nervously.

"She told me to let her know at work, day or night. Even if she's not there, I could tell someone who worked for her and they'd let her know I'd come. She said I had to tell her right away; that is was important." Charlotte stopped wringing her hands and planted them on her hips. The worry drained from her face and was replaced with disapproval. "I think that girl is unhappy with you. Did you steal her boyfriend? That's not like you. If it was Verena, now... I just can't think why that girl is so hot to know if you've come by."

"I don't know," Alyxandra said honestly. "Where can I find her?"

"One of those new nightclubs. I'll be happy to let you go in my place. Really, I'm getting too old to be going to those places. You know you're losing it when the men your own age start looking at you like they've got a chance."

"Which club, mom? There are a lot of them," she growled. Her mother shot her scolding look for the tone of her voice and she ducked her head apologetically. While Charlotte racked her memory for the name of the club, Alyxandra began rummaging around in the kitchen drawers.

"The Opera House, I believe it was. What a stupid name for a nightclub. I wonder how many people go there thinking they actually do opera there. Or how many people don't go for the same reason."

"I don't know," Alyxandra mumbled. Her mother had rearranged the kitchen, but finally she pulled open the drawer she'd been looking for.

"Well, you just go around to the back of the building. I guess she didn't want an old thing like me coming around the front and embarrassing her. She said to knock on the employee's door back there and someone would let me in." Charlotte took her seat at the breakfast bar again and watched her daughter.

"Got it." Alyxandra brushed her fingers across a paring knife. It wouldn't do much damage, but something about it made her want to pick it up. She passed it up reluctantly and chose a carving fork that she'd known her father to use while barbecuing as well as a boning knife. She considered the poultry scissors, which could also easily act as a knife, but she remembered too well when Verena had nearly lost a finger while using a pair once. She left the scissors where they were. Satisfied with her selection, she went to close the drawer, but hesitated. The paring knife... she couldn't think how it might be useful, but she picked it up before shutting the drawer. It couldn't hurt to take it. She pushed the small blade into her pocket. She wasn't sure what to do with the other two.

"Maybe a scarf?" Charlotte had her head tilted to the side. She smiled thoughtfully.

"Sure mom, you should buy one."

Charlotte shook her head. "Don't be silly, it's too hot for a scarf. I meant for hiding your knives. You can wrap it around your waist like a belt. Tuck the knives into the folds of material. It might clash a little with your Buffy gear, but with the things you kids wear these days, who'll think anything of it?"

"Okay..." Alyxandra stared at her mother, not sure what to think or say. She stayed put as her mother left the kitchen to find her scarf. Things were not going the way she thought they should. She didn't know what to make of her mother. "Buffy gear?"

She pulled her phone from her pocket. It was time to call Mike. Knowing her mother and her mother's wardrobe, she'd be a few minutes finding the scarf. She did consider that she could simply take a few steps and speak to him directly, but she didn't want to risk her mother seeing him. It was too awkward.

"Yeah?"

"We have to go to the Opera House." Alyxandra tapped the long fork against the kitchen counter. "I have a play date to attend."

"Okay..."

"Someone's been playing with mom."

"I see." Mike said. Alyxandra doubted he did. He didn't sound like he did. "Does Puppy get to play, or are you going to save all the fun for yourself?"

She giggled. "You can play. But I don't know how to get you in there. Would other vampires believe you were my... whatdya call it? Wouldn't they know what you are?"

"Ghoul? I don't know. They might buy that. I doubt they'd make me for a wolf."

"It's too bad you can't turn into a wolf. Then I'd just take you in like that."

"Babe, I can turn into a wolf."

"Yeah, one that's thirty feet tall and stands on its hind legs. That's a little too obvious."

Mike laughed. "A real wolf. I can even chase my tail and pee in the corner."

"A real one?"

"Yup."

"I didn't know you could do that. Brilliant. I could say you're my seeing eye dog. They'd have to let me bring you in."

"Uhh..."

"Mom's coming." She snapped the phone shut and pushed it back into her pocket.

Charlotte reappeared with scarf in hand. It was a silky strip of fabric in a pale yellow color. It'd do. Alyxandra wound the scarf around her waist and tied off the ends. The knife and fork tucked into the folds of fabric and were perfectly hidden.

"You're a genius." She beamed at her mother.

"So the tests say, but who'd believe it with all this yellow hair?"

Alyxandra giggled and kissed her mother goodbye.

"I'd tell you to be careful, but..." Charlotte shrugged. "You're already dead, right?"

Alyxandra blinked at her mother. She felt the blood drain from her face and the angry butterflies from earlier raged again in her stomach.

"If you see your sister, you'll tell her I love her too?"

"Sure mom." Alyxandra whispered. "But Verena's dead, you know?"

Charlotte nodded. "Of course, of course. But it's not every day a ghost steals your kitchen utensils. So if you happen to see her, you'll let her know."

"Sure," Alyxandra said again.

Charlotte smiled, satisfied. Alyxandra left, feeling a little dazed.


	17. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Outside the back door of the club, still sitting in the car, Alyxandra found that some of her adrenaline had faded, as well as most of her courage. She was grateful that she wouldn't be going in alone. Stepping out of the car, she checked her scarf-cum-belt to make sure the knives were still concealed. Mike had noticed the new accessory, but hadn't commented on it.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked, pulling off his pants. It was time for him to become Alyxandra's furry companion.

"I don't know. I intended to come here and carve a confession out of the sleazy gutter snipe that's been messing with my mom's head." Alyxandra sighed and leaned back against the car. She didn't have a plan.

"You sure someone's been messing with her?"

She growled at him. Was he stupid?

"She just seemed a little confused when I talked to her." Mike closed the car door, and naked as the day he was born, stepped around the car to stand beside his wife.

"It's not Alzheimer's. Her memory was fine, she's just... not right. She knew I was dead."

"Okay. You ready then?"

"Guess so..." Alyxandra clenched her fists and tried to calm herself by taking a few deep breaths. "I'm _not_ dead, you know. I'm not."

"Baby," Mike stroked her cheek. "Of course not. Just a little dead."

She glared at him and he grinned back at her.

"I love you," he purred in her ear and kissed her jaw.

She sighed.

He backed away and started to shift. She averted her eyes, not because she was disturbed, but to give him some privacy. Not that he seemed to mind her watching, but she wasn't sure what the polite thing to do was.

Once finished, Mike let out a yip and bowed playfully, rump in the air and head low to the ground. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and his lips were pulled back in a goofy canine grin. Alyxandra laughed.

"Very dignified." She shook her head and smiled down at the wolf.

He was large and covered in steel-grey fur. She thought she recognized him from a photo she'd seen. She reached a hand down toward him and he licked her fingers, then made a soft coughing sound.

"Come on then," she said to him. She only hoped he was still himself inside that body.

She knocked on the back door and Mike sat beside her, looking completely harmless. A small window in the door immediately slid open and a pair of eyes peered out at her. She rolled her eyes. It was too cliché.

"What?" A gruff voice asked.

"I'm Charlotte Ramsey, come to see Mistress Lauren." Alyxandra smiled sweetly.

"Hold on." The window slammed shut.

She shrugged down at Mike, who only looked back up at her with a solemn expression.

A few minutes later the door opened and the pair of eyes reappeared, but this time they were accompanied by a large, imposing body. One that smelled unpleasantly of sweat and too much aftershave.

"What's with the mutt?" He asked.

"He's my service dog." Alyxandra patted Mike on the head.

"You don't look handicapped to me, toots. We don't allow pets inside."

"Toots? Listen, buddy... I'm an old lady. I need my dog."

Stinky sneered at her. "You don't even look old enough to make it past the front door of this joint."

Alyxandra stared back at him. She wasn't sure, but... something... moved inside of her. She felt her blood burn. Stinky blinked at her, confused. Then he wiped a large hand across his face and backed out of her way.

"Go on, ma'am."

Alyxandra smiled. Mike lifted his leg.

Stinky looked down at his boots and blinked, not having quite recovered from his confusion. The puddle he now stood in seemed to puzzle him.

Mike shook himself, looking pleased, and followed Alyxandra down the hallway.

"Bad wolf," Alyxandra muttered to him, but she giggled.

He yipped back, tail wagging.

At the end of the hall, they found a closed door marked simply "Manager". Alyxandra knocked.

"Yeah, yeah." A familiar and feminine voice called.

Alyxandra opened the door and stepped through, and she closed the door behind her. With her back hiding the doorknob from view, she locked the door.

"Lauren," she smiled.

A brunette woman sat behind a heavy mahogany desk, scattered with files and papers. One hand sat frozen over a keyboard and the light from the computer monitor shone on her face. She looked up at her visitor.

"Not exactly who I expected." She said.

Alyxandra nodded. "Your security kind of sucks."

"I'll have to remedy that."

"Probably a good idea. You never know what you might get walking in on you."

"Hmm," Lauren leaned back in her chair, looking superior and arrogant. "It's so good to see you again Alexandra."

"I spell it with a 'y' now."

Lauren arched a brow.

"So... I hear you wanted to know if I came to town. Here I am. I brought a friend. I hope you don't mind?"

Lauren glanced at the wolf, unconcerned. "You shouldn't have come back."

"Why's that?"

Lauren stood up and leaned over her desk, fists planted atop the papers scattered across the surface. "You humiliated us! It was our right to take your blood and we were denied that right. Now you have the nerve to return? Did you think all would be forgiven?"

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about."

Lauren seethed, fangs bared. "You posed as one of us for months. We took you in, believing you were Ventrue. The prince was wrong to let you live. We should have been permitted to leave you for the sun. Your blood should have been ours."

"It's really frustrating not being able to remember any of this. But I don't really care right now. I'm here to discuss you and my mother, and what you've done to her." Alyxandra leaned back against the wall and tried to look comfortable and unconcerned. She didn't feel that way. She wanted to jump across the desk and wrap her hands around the brunette's throat. And then maybe remove that throat from her body.

Mike positioned himself at Alyxandra's feet.

Lauren looked a little taken aback. "I haven't done a bloody thing to your mother."

"You've done something. She's not quite right. Knew I was dead, even if I'm _not_. Didn't seem a bit surprised to see me. Doesn't realize her husband is dead and gone." Alyxandra stepped away from the wall and took a step towards Lauren. Mike closely followed her movements.

Lauren came around from the desk, laughing. "Stupid childe. I gave her the strong suggestion that she let me know if she saw you. That's all. She wasn't the only one. I never honestly thought you'd be so careless as to pay her a visit. If you've broken the masquerade, it's over for you. As for your mother's mental stability, well... you rather take after her, don't you? She's cracked, my dear. Why do you think we decided against turning you? You were flawed. We saw it, even then. We didn't want you. It was fitting that the lunatics should find you worthy. You weren't worthy of anything more."

Mike growled. It was a quiet rumble, but it filled the quiet room.

Lauren looked down at the wolf in distaste. With an unattractive sneer marring her otherwise lovely face, she pulled back her leg to kick at the animal. Her booted foot didn't make contact. The instant her foot went forward, Mike lunged. His canines sank into the leather and he shook his head, snarling. Lauren stumbled backwards and Mike released her, then calmly sat back on his haunches. He cocked his head slightly to the side and regarded Lauren.

Alyxandra giggled.

"How dare you bring that animal here?" Lauren spat. "I'll see you both dust."

Alyxandra stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry. "Boring... what fun are threats if you have no hope of following through with them? Insults are fun. Like outside a bit ago when I told my friend here that... what was it fuzz bucket? Oh yes... a sleazy gutter snipe. Not very lady-like of me, but fun all the same. Your turn!"

Lauren backhanded her, causing her head to snap backwards with violent force.

Mike was growling immediately, his lips peeling back to display an impressive set of teeth, all designed to rip and shred flesh. He stalked towards the dark haired woman with his head held low, stance ready to attack.

Alyxandra rolled her head on her shoulders and then threw her hand out to stop her husband. He complied, though he didn't look at all pleased about it. His aggressive posture remained, ready to attack the moment he felt her life threatened.

He was so intent on Lauren, he didn't notice the change in his wife's demeanor.

Alyxandra licked her mouth, savoring the taste of her own blood. Her body seemed to be filled with a pulsating energy, and it made her feel high, excited. Her canines throbbed, elongated and ready. Her fingers were hooked into claws, and she held them slightly before her body. Her eyes were wild and feral, and a cruel smile took form on her mouth.

Lauren eyed the wolf with shock, finally showing a little fear around her eyes. Her was shifting, taking the form of a Crinos Werewolf.

"Have you no honor? You let a filthy mongrel fight your battles?" She spat at Alyxandra's feet.

"Honor?" Alyxandra seemed to taste the word. She cocked her head to the side and ran her tongue along one of her canines.

Lauren took a step away from Mike and continued to glare challengingly at Alyxandra.

"Eh," Alyxandra said, "I don't care about honor. I can win easier if I don't worry about honor. And it's a lot more fun. Besides, all that really matters is who has the better toys."

Mike chuckled, the sound coming out as a raspy cough through his muzzle. He could only assume he was the toy.

Alyxandra smiled at him, unapologetically. She moved nearer to him, and rubbed her cheek against his fur covered side.

"Does it make you feel dizzy?" Alyxandra asked Lauren.

Lauren looked at her.

"I feel the tables turning."

Lauren hissed and lunged toward Alyxandra and the door.

Mike struck. Lauren wavered where she stood for an awful second. Her eyes were wide with shock. Mike's clawed fist came away from her back, bloody. Alyxandra frowned, confused. She had only a fraction of a second to wonder what happened before Lauren collapsed to the ground. Only her eyes moved, darting back and forth between Mike and Alyxandra.

"What did you do?" Alyxandra wailed, glaring at Mike.

"Spine," Mike said, speech always awkward coming through a muzzle. "Paralyzed her. She'll live."

"No. No, no, no! She's no _fun_ if she can't move. Can't even scream. Can't fight back, can't squirm and wriggle for me." Alyxandra sank to her knees by Lauren's feet and beat her fists against her thighs. "I want to punish her."

Mike shrugged his shoulders. "She attacked, I struck."

"She was running away. Little coward." Alyxandra smiled brightly. "Maybe I should make sure she doesn't run away again."

Lauren made a gurgling noise in her throat and her eyes were locked on Alyxandra.

Alyxandra smiled back at her, face open and friendly. "Don't worry, this'll be fun."

She removed Lauren's boots and peeled off the socks she wore underneath. Her toenails were cleanly manicured and painted black. Alyxandra snorted and rolled her eyes.

"I brought some other friends. Would you like to meet them?" Alyxandra pulled out the carving fork and boning knife. "I brought another, but he's kind of shy. I'll just leave him in my pocket."'

Mike shook his head, but made no move to stop his wife. He did, however, step over Lauren to take position in front of the door, lest someone come to find his wife playing with the club's manager.

Alyxandra lifted the carving fork and poised it over Lauren's foot. The gurgling sound increased. Giggling, Alyxandra brought the fork down. Instead of piercing Lauren's foot, as Alyxandra imagined Lauren had feared, its two prongs fell to either side of her big toe, securing it to the floor.

"Relax," Alyxandra scoffed. "I wouldn't stab you with a fork."

'She took the boning knife next, and pinched Lauren's pinky toe between her fingers.

"I know this is backwards, but... this little piggy went to market." She pressed down on the knife and the toe popped off. Lauren's eyes bulged. There was very little blood.

"This little piggy stayed home. I guess I shouldn't cut that one off then, huh?" Alyxandra grinned and bit her lip, then pinched the middle toe between her fingers. "This little piggy had roast beef. But he had it down the street at the deli, so off he goes."

The knife flashed, the toe popped off, and Alyxandra lifted it up so Lauren could see. She pouted. Lauren focused her gaze at the ceiling and refused to look.

"All right..." Alyxandra pinched the next toe. "This little piggy had none. But because I'm so generous, I'll let him go with the roast beef piggy. It's nice to share, don't you think?"

Alyxandra nodded, and stabbed down with the knife, which cut cleanly through the flesh. She gathered the two toes and tossed them across the room. She left the little toe where it was.

"One left! Do you remember how the last one goes? Come on, sing it with me." She waved the knife in the air, and urged Lauren to join in. A bloody tear ran down the side of her face and disappeared into her dark hair. Alyxandra sighed. "And this little piggy went 'wee wee wee' all the way _home_."

She brought the knife down, but it sunk into the carpeting to the side of her foot. "You know, that toe looks a little big..."

She stood up and placed the knife above the toe. Stepping onto the top edge of the blade, she put her weight onto the knife and grunted. The toe came away.

"There now... no running away." She looked up at Mike. "You think she can still walk like that? Hmm... they'll probably grow back. Maybe..."

Alyxandra sank back down to her knees and crawled over Lauren's body until the two women were face to face. Leaning forward, she licked away the trail that Lauren's tear had left behind. Lauren glared as fiercely as she could manage.

"Goodnight, Mistress." Alyxandra bared her fangs and struck, piercing Lauren's throat. She was rewarded with a rush of thick, sweet blood. Behind her, she could hear Mike growing impatient for things to end and for them to be on their way.

Not wanting to be distracted, she closed her mind to the sounds around her. She distanced her mind from Lauren's gurgling and Mike's restless shifting from foot to foot. She thought of nothing but the precious blood flowing into her. It was better than anything she'd remembered ever tasting. It was rich and it made her feel powerful. Unfortunately, it was also almost gone. She whimpered as the flow of blood slowed down to a trickle. After she'd taken Lauren's heart's blood, a shudder ran through her.

Alyxandra released Lauren's body and sat back. Immediately, the corpse started to slowly flake away and turn to ash.

"You do what I think you just did?"

Alyxandra turned to look at Mike. He was leaning against the door, arms crossed over his chest, still in Crinos form. When she looked at him, he let his arms drop to his side. He began to eye her uncertainly. She grinned, fangs still extended. She hissed.

Mike crossed his arms over his chest again and gave her a stern look. The body behind Alyxandra was crumbling away quickly now, but he paid it no mind. He kept his eyes on his wife, who was now starting to move towards him slowly. She remained on her knees. He held his ground, wary, but trusting. Besides, even if she frenzied, he could handle himself.

When she reached him, she scratched lightly at the tops of his feet and looked up at him.

"Puppy?"

He looked down at her and his eyes narrowed. His Alyxandra called him that. She smiled back at him, but the look on her face was feral, and her eyes were dark, the pupils largely dilated.

The back door to the office opened; a door previously unnoticed. Mike snarled, a low sound more felt than heard as the vampire entered. The same one from the fireworks in New Mexico, the same one whose scent had marked Alyxandra at the start of this adventure. Alyxandra knew her puppy was going to do something rash.

"No!" She snapped at him, coming to her feet. The giant creature looked into her eyes. "Down, Puppy. You're not allowed to chew on him."

"I'm just here for the end of the game," Malcolm said, gesturing to the rapidly disintegrating pile of ash on the floor. "I knew if you made it back to our old stomping ground, you'd meet up with some of your old acquaintances. So how was it?"

"How was what?" She asked, annoyed but curious. "Having my memory buggered with and being all confused?"

"No, silly girl, the Diablerie! You drained a stronger vampire. Can't you feel the increase in... well, _everything_ that you are?"

"Why did you want her dead?" Mike asked, speaking slowly to make himself understood. He was still tensed, ready to strike, but Alyxandra's hand on his chest held him back. It was an absurd scene – a slight woman holding back a hulking beast – but it seemed appropriate for the surreal moment.

"I couldn't care less about Lauren – though taking a swipe out of the Ventrue is always fun. I tasted the Life Blood of an elder vampire a couple years ago, and I wanted to share with my daughter. Now, like any good game, the winner gets a prize. In this case, that one step closer to Caine. And of course, back to her rightful state of mind. Consider it my gift. Aren't I a good daddy?"

With that, Malcolm turned and walked back out of the office.

Mike started to move toward the door, ready to dismember the monster who'd tormented his wife for the sake of his damn game, but he stopped when Alyxandra pushed against him, stepping between him and the door.

Alyxandra rubbed her face against his shaggy belly and sighed, "I love you, Puppy. I want to go home."

Mike thought about going after the other vampire anyway, but he couldn't refuse his girl. They started back the way they'd come in, down the hall toward the back door.

"If I try to stab Alexander again, do you think it'll cancel out my apology?"

He grinned, lips pulling back from his teeth. All he could do was shake his head.


	18. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

I snuck out of the house while Puppy was busy on the phone with one of his clients. He was in his office, but I'm sure he heard me leave anyway. I was nice enough to take the BMW though. He'd have worried more if I'd taken the Humvee. Normally that would have been a big bonus, making him worry, but I've put in an honest effort to be good lately. He's been stressed since our vacation to California. I have my memory back, and I've assured him of that, but sometimes I catch him looking at me funny. He says it's my imagination.

He wanted to kill Malcolm, of course. I had to put my foot down. We're not likely to hear from him again any time soon, but you never know. Anyway, he did help me. I'm not really the ambitious type, but I'm a little higher up on the totem pole now. And Lauren was a bitch. Nobody's going to miss her.

Anyway, I'm not out for a joyride. I'm on a mission. It struck me that we need more family type pictures in the house. So I'm off to... well, I won't say the name of the store. Puppy says if you say the name in your head, they'll know. And then you'll become enslaved to their advertising talking heads, doomed to wander the streets telling everyone you meet that you're a capitalist tool. I'm pretty sure he was joking. I'm not taking any chances. Let's just say it's the store that doesn't actually sell any walls. At least, I don't think they do.

So here I am, a vampire out in the middle of the night (duh), shopping at the store that does not sell walls. I'm looking for picture frames. I'll worry about finding the pictures to stick in them later.


End file.
